Dr Cullen
by catherinedoncaster1995
Summary: Edward is a doctor and Bella is a teacher, they are married and have a five year old daughter with another due soon. This is their life including the rest of the family
1. Forgivness

**Edward POV **

If I closed my eyes hard enough, and pressed my arms tighter around my head I could block it all out. I could sit and pretend that I was laying in bed with my wife at home, her back against my chest, my arms around her waist, breathing in her hair and scent deeply.

"Dr Cullen GSW seven year old male trauma four." A voice shouted from somewhere in front of me and a door slammed.

I groaned and straightened up, rubbing my eyes and blinking into the bright light that was streaming through the blinds. I moaned in the back of my throat as I stood up, joints clicking.

I put my pager on my belt and looked at the clock as I pulled on my white coat. I sighed, I was right, it was half past four, the reason the sun was so low in the sky, and after all it was December.

This wouldn't have been so bad had I not already been on shift for twenty nine hours.

Being a doctor was all I'd ever wanted to be when I was younger, and even now I couldn't understand why anyone would want me to be anything else.

Even Bella, my wife, who was my everything, didn't want me to change. I was sure she wanted me to work less, but she never pushed the idea.

I smiled and ran my finger down the glass of the photo frame that was sat on my desk, the only permanent feature besides my computer.

Her gaze shone out from the picture at me, as well as that of the smaller set of brown eyes identical beside hers. My smile got wider as I looked over my daughter, her five year old innocence touching all of her, especially her smile.

She had her mother's simple floorless perfections that made everyone fall in love with her. But her hair and her cheeks were all me, a perfect mix of her mother and father.

"Edward Trauma four!" The voice shouted again as one of the interns, _Lauren_ stuck her head around the door, the same one who had shouted me earlier.

"Yeh GSW got it." I said and grabbed my stethoscope as I shot away from the desk, following her down the bustling corridors. The noise and overall heat intense for a small rainy town like Forks Washington.

I sighed as I looked over the boy laid up in front of me. His mother had finally been taken to the family room after crying and screaming for a good five minutes. I knew it was hard to leave a child when they were being looked over in the trauma room; after all I was a father. But what normal parents and sometimes _I_ failed to remember was that there was nothing they could do, and that they were better to leave us to do our job rather than gush to know every detail.

"Bloods, triple of Amphetamine and tube him." I said, suppressing a yawn as I took a step back to allow one of the attending doctors to deliver the _ingredients_ I had just asked for.

I heard a soft voice behind me, "I'll take over, you can look over my patient in bed fifteen, then you can go _home_." It said firmly at the end.

I turned around and smiled fleetingly, "Thanks dad." I called over my shoulder and rushed out of the rom, flinging my scrubs just about in the laundry chute as I passed it on my quest for the rest of the paediatric ward.

Being a paediatric Doctor as well as a father sometimes made it hard for me to deal with certain cases; you sometimes just couldn't separate the child on the crash table from my own daughter. I swallowed at the mere thought of Emma being in such a bad accident that it would mean her having to be in here.

I shook the thought out of my head as I plucked the chart from Laurens awaiting hands behind the call desk, calling a thank you which she mumbled a response.

Why she worked here I had no idea, she had no interest in medics, even if she had the knowledge to be the person who answered the phones and told me where I should be. She also knew all of the interns names without even having to try, something I had been trying to perfect for five and a bit years.

The problem with that was, by the time I learnt their name, they were about to move on to their next placement, or had _left_.

"So Mr and Mrs Weber... Jamie has been coughing for about ten hours is that right?" I couldn't help but let out a tired laugh towards the end as I looked up form my now swivel seat and clip board into the faces of Angela and Bean one of Bella's best friends and her husband.

Angela completed the four that was the high school hot girls, including my wife, and my sister and sister in law. Although Bella and Angela saw one another less than she did the other three, Angela was no less out of the loop.

"Hey Edward." She laughed and Ben rolled his eyes, but both of them had that anxious look in their eyes that only a parent could notice.

"Let's have a look at you then." I smiled and examined Jamie. He was only about eleven months old, and was as such slightly unwilling to let me put the stethoscope on his chest.

I listened for a few tries and then smiled at Angela and Ben.

"He's just got a cold, pick up this..." I trailed off as I finished his prescription and handed it to Angela.

"And give him a spoonful every night before you put him down and every morning when he wakes up." I said gently and stood up.

Angela laughed and I rubbed my eyes.

"You ready for home now Edward, how long have you been here?" She asked.

"About thirty one hours." I said and checked my phone, groaning when I realised when day it was, and why I had so many missed calls.

"So Bella knows about..." Ben tailed off and winced when he sat the panicked expression on my face.

"Its Emma's parents evening I know." I groaned at the end and rushed to my office without waving a goodbye or anything. I could have felt bad, but I knew god and Angel and Ben would forgive me.

As I pulled on my jacket, I began to pray that Bella would do the same.


	2. Breathe

**Edward POV**

My shoes skidded along the pavement as I left the car just about locked. I flew through the car lot and rounded the last corner into the school. A woman who I recognised as Emma's teacher appeared at the school door. She turned away from me to shake hands with someone I couldn't see.

But when I saw her, my heart contracted, and then the other jewel in my eye arrived beside her mother.

"Thank you for coming Mrs Cullen, it was nice to see you again, it's a shame about your husband..." She trailed off when Bella interrupted.

"He's working late, something about a traffic accident." Bella said firmly, the excuse she always gave whenever anybody enquired as to where I was.

"Ah yes, doctor Cullen...well... maybe next time. I'll see you at school tomorrow Emma." Emma's teacher, Mrs Raydon said and patted Emma on the head.

Her bronze hair bounced and she beamed, although slightly tiredly as she waved goodbye.

"Thanks again Mrs Cullen, you should be very proud." Mrs Raydon continued and greeted another set of parents before walking them back into the school.

Bella sighed and shifted the stack of letters she had in her arms as well as steering Emma forwards.

"What are we having for dinner...? " Emma chirped as she skipped down the pavement towards me. A smile lit across my face as her eyes met mine and she beamed.

"Daddy!" She cried and leapt into my arms. I held her tight to me and spun around, kissing her hair as she squealed.

"Heya Emsicle..." I crooned and she giggled at the childish nickname.

"Did you make me proud?" I laughed and she nodded.

"She made us _so_ proud that _we_ are going to Grandma and Granddads for dinner." Bella's voice came from beside me and I glanced at her anxiously but she smiled at me, stretching up to kiss my cheek.

"Good evening love." She whispered in my ear and I smiled, setting Emma on the floor as she bounced over to the car.

"How are you?" I asked and pulled her into a hug, discreetly taking the stack of letters from her which received a frown. I smiled and reached down to rub her swollen stomach.

"_Both_ of you?" I asked.

She rolled her eyes and covered my hand in hers, "_we_ are both fine, please stop worrying?"

"You haven't felt nauseous, dizzy, over tired..." I started to reel off the list of possible complications that a woman could face in pregnancy, as a doctor, I knew most of them off by heart.

This meant most of the time this act earnt me a round of shouting from my wife about being over protective, so I kept most of my worrying to myself.

_Most _of it anyway.

"Daddy and mummy come _on_!" Emma shouted as I leant down to touch my lips to Bella's.

I chuckled and wrapped my arm over my pregnant wife's shoulder, leading her back to her car as Emma hopped in the back.

I opened her door for her and she put her bag inside, standing on the other side of it to me as she stretched over the top to kiss me.

"I'll see you at mum and dad's." I whispered, knowing that dad would probably still be at work, and that we might just catch him before we had to take Emma home to bed, and I made sure Bella was resting and realized before we both _fell_ into our bed.

Bella lips touched mine and I pecked her quickly once again before she could get in the car.

"I love you, be careful." I called as she drove away, waving at me over her shoulder as she drove away. I laughed and climbed in my own car, following Bella as she drove all the way to mum and dads.

We pulled up at the same time and she glared at me as I took her hand immediately and helped her from the car, then steered her towards the house as my mother opened the door.  
>"Bella darling!" Esme cried and Bella laughed, rushing forwards to be swept up in a hug by my mother. Emma took my hand and pulled me towards my mum.<p>

"Emma come here!" Esme gushed and scooped Emma up, hugging her tight; I rolled my eyes and wrapped one arm around Bella's waist. My mother and daughter spent too much time together I was sure, they loved one another so much... and it wasn't as though they hadn't seen one another this morning.

"How are you Emma?" Esme asked as we walked into their house.

"I'm fine grandma, although mum wasn't very well this morning." Emma said, reminding me of more of her childish innocence. She was my biggest ally in knowing what was going on with my wife.

It took all of my self control not to stop walking.

"Edward." Bella warned.

I shot a look at her, "You were _sick_ this morning?"

She glared at me, "I'm pregnant, I have morning sickness, and you're a doctor catch up here... _god_..." She muttered and followed Esme into the kitchen. I sat with Emma on the sofa, her giving me a step by step account of her day as my mother and my wife prepared dinner.


	3. The in Laws

Edward POV

"What did you do today daddy?" Emma asked suddenly where she was colouring on the floor, my wife and mother still in the kitchen preparing dinner, me watching over my wife, fighting the urge to sleep with everything that I had. I was so tired, but I was sure I could sit through dinner.

"I saw Aunty Angela and Uncle Ben at the hospital with Jamie." I told her and her face lit up just as Bella walked back in to sit beside me, Emma sitting on the floor colouring whist I wrapped my arm over Bella's shoulder and stroked her hair, her hand resting in my lap and on her stomach.

"Did you tell daddy about the friend you made at school today?" Bella asked Emma.

Emma shook her head and I could feel my eyes try to narrow.

"His names Daniel." Bella told me and Emma beamed.

I tried not to swallow, but my voice still came out almost strangled.

"Wow... a boy... that's _nice_." I settled on and Bella shot me a disapproving look.

"He's coming over tomorrow." Emma said whilst beaming at me.

I swear my left eye twitched, "That's great princess, though don't you think you should go with him for coffee first, break the ice a bit..."

"Edward." Bella scolded.

I sighed, "Alright alright, that's great though Em, just warn me before you plan to get married, so I have time to save up."

Bella glared at me and my daughter flitted to show Esme her drawing. I groaned and leant back in the sofa, Bella rubbing my shoulder as I could feel her watching me.

"That's just great, she's only five, and she's already ignoring my boy advice." I muttered.

I looked to see Bella roll her eyes.

"Well if we women had to wait for boys to always make the first move the human race would have died out long ago." She laughed and kissed my cheek.

I chuckled, "I don't think that's how it is."

"Oh no?" She asked innocently.

"Well it wasn't like that with us, you came, I saw, I conquered simple as." I said and rubbed my eyes, feeling slightly less tired now, but still drowsy.

Bella scoffed just as Emma came back in followed by Esme.

"Daddy I and Daniel played Doctors and nurses at school today." She told me.

"What?" I all but shouted.

Bella sighed and stroked my knee, "Breathe Edward."

I sighed and leant back in the sofa, resting my forehead against her temple, causing her to giggle like a school girl.

"And anyway..." I said quietly and placed my hand on her stomach, rubbing it gently.

"We are doing a great job repopulating the planet, not matter who exactly it was that made the move first." I whispered and she smiled, kissing the tip of my nose.

We all heard tires in the driveway and Emma bolted for the door just as my father walked in. He picked Emma up and hugged her, and he raised his eyebrows at me and my wife.

She was nearly all the way in my lap now and he just rolled his eyes as she blushed.

"I don't really need to ask how you are then Bella; I suppose he's already asked you..." He let out a breath, "Three times?"

My wife giggled and I frowned as he sat down beside Esme on the other sofa, Emma going back to her colouring.

I could feel my father frowning at me as I rubbed my eyes and leant my head on top of Bella's, wanting nothing more than to go the bed back to sleep, but knowing that it probably wasn't the best idea at half past five.

"You don't really need to go in tomorrow, you worked without a break for two days they don't owe you anything." My father said firmly.

I sighed, a day at home did sound good, and I knew me and Bella were long overdue for an argument regarding just how much I worked. I let out a sigh, we hadn't argued about it in oh... two days?

"We'll see." I muttered and Bella tensed, looking away from me and towards where our hands were locked in my lap over my knee.

"Bella?" I asked quietly.

She swallowed and shook her head, "its okay, its okay..." She started but her voice broke and she pulled away from me, rushing into the kitchen with her hand over her mouth.

Emma glanced up at me and I winked half heartedly and she smiled at me, completely buying my parental facial expression.

I stood and walked into the kitchen, Bella was stood looking out of the glass wall at the back of the house. Her arms were wrapped over her chest and her back shuddering as she took deep breaths.

"Bella." I said quietly and she glanced at me over her shoulder before looking back to the window.

I swallowed, "Sweetheart..."

"Don't... just _don't_ pretend like we haven't had this conversation before. Do _not_ pretend that you don't know you spend too much time at that hospital, _do not_ pretend like you _don't_ know, that your daughter wakes up in the middle of the night and cries for you, that she says the same thing every time someone asks where you are... that you're at the _hospital_." Bella snapped and her tears fell down her face as she glared at me. She covered her mouth with a shaking hand and took deep calming breaths.

I took a slow step towards her, then another and another when she didn't back away from me. Eventually I was a step in front of her, within my grasp. I wrapped my arms gently around her, and she flung herself into my chest, sobbing into my shirt.

I rested my chin on the top of her head and swallowed, closing my eyes and letting out a breath.

"You're right." I whispered.

Bella swallowed, "What do you mean?"

I kissed her temple and rested my hand on her stomach.

"I _mean_, that my family comes first... it never came second I just forgot and I..." I let out a breath and swallowed, "I just want the families I treat _never_ to have to go through, what I know I would go though if either you or Emma was hurt and had to be treated in ER."

There was silence and Bella pulled back to kill my cheek, "I love you."

I smiled and crouched, holding her hips and pressing my lips to her bump as she stroked my hair.

"I love you to. you, Emma _and_ this little one here." I breathed and ran my hand over her stomach.

She beamed, "I know."


	4. Just Great

"In short Lauren, if someone comes in, they smell like a drunk, they look like a drunk, they _are_ a drunk." I snapped and shoved my folder back in the folder by the main desk.

"And another thing?" I said as I spun around to point at her where I had been going to storm to my office, "I am a paediatrician; _don't_ confuse me with one of the senior interns."

"You're the senior paediatrician." She said as though I was missing something very obvious.

I frowned and leant forwards so my face was only a foot away from hers.

"I appreciate that." I said firmly, "But in case you hadn't realised, a paediatrician treats _children_ not intoxicated adults."

Lauren frowned and put another chart in my hands. I checked the age on it briefly, telling me that they were under eighteen, before flashing her a half arsed smile.

"Thank you." I said in my bed side manner and she smirked at me, picking up the ringing phone as I walked away.

I kept my eyes on the chart as I walked down the corridor and saw my father coming the other way. He put his hand on my chest and pushed me backwards so I stopped walking. I sighed and let my arms drop to my sides when he took the chart form my hands and read the front of it.

"How long have you been here?" He asked.

I pretended to think, "Four hours."

"Lauren?" He asked as she walked past.

"He was here when I arrived at nine." She said and smirked at me over his shoulder as she went to change the information on the white board which told us who was where.

Dad frowned and held his hand out and I looked at him like he was asking for something I truly wasn't prepared to hand over.

"Oh you're joking." I laughed without humour and rolled my eyes.

"God." I muttered like a teenager.

"Edward." He said firmly, like I was indeed adolescent once again.

I sighed and put my pager in his hand. He closed his fingers around it instantly and put it on his own belt.

"Edward..." He said gently and I looked up from where I had been glaring, half in embarrassment at the floor.

I looked up from tiles and he looked at me softly.

"I get it, okay I _Know_, I know how hard it is to turn off being Dr Cullen to just being a dad and Edward again... but you can do it Edward." He said encouragingly.

I ran a hand through my hair, "I'm just so scared of letting everyone down, not many twenty three year olds have a job, let alone a senior residency position." I muttered.

He put a hand on my shoulder, "You have it in you, to be a great, father husband, and doctor, and you _are_ already, Edward you aren't going to let anyone down."

"But what if I let _her_ down." I whispered, looking down again.

"You won't, you know that." He said and then straightened up.

"Now go home, pick your daughter up from school and cook dinner for your wife." He said firmly.

I tried not to scowl, and very nearly succeeded.

"Fine." I sighed and turned away from him to collect my bag from my office and make my way home. Actually it was a miracle that I had made it from nine until two o clock without being rumbled by my father. It wasn't that I didn't like being at home, it was just that as the senior paediatrician I had o work long hours, and I found it hard sometimes to relax when the hospital was just down the road, and there were only the new year residents on the children's part of the ER.

I had promised my wife the day before at Carlisle and Esme's that I would try and start taking more time of work. But she understood the problems I had with separating work from home, especially with the new pager I had to take everywhere.

I climbed up the porch steps and pushed open the door, softly treading through into the lounge to see my wife laying on the sofa, her head resting on the pillow from upstairs and wrapped in a blanket. I put my brief case down and took of my coat, crouching down beside the sofa and kissing her forehead.

She moaned and rubbed her eyes, opening them to smile at me tiredly.

"Hey baby." I whispered and kissed her cheek.

She flushed a little and stroked the back of my hair, "You haven't called me that since I was pregnant with Emma."

I laughed quietly, "Well that was five years ago love."

She sat up with some help from me as I rubbed her back and she relaxed back into the cushions, where I was sitting on the coffee table facing her.

"What are you doing back so early, I would have made dinner and..." I cut her off my leaving forwards to kiss her gently.

"I came back to do that." I whispered and she looked at me in confusion.

I sighed and sat back down on the table, "I'm not going to work as much. I'm only doing my shift and then I'm coming home, obviously with lee way for if things go wrong but..." I sighed, "I want to be at home more, and I meant it when I told you I would try and make it possible."

She smiled and kissed me in thank you, before saying that she had to go pick Emma up. We decided to both go, me driving while she sat and held my hand over the gear stick.

"What are you doing home anyway, I thought you would be working?" I asked.

Bella was a primary school teacher at Emma's school, but Emma wasn't in her class and never would be. Bella flushed and looked down, putting her hands-on her stomach.

My hand joined the other on the steering wheel, "Bella?"

She mumbled her words, "I wasn't very well this morning so I didn't go in, they said it was fine."

My head snapped around, and it took a conscious effort to remember I was driving, "What?"

She sighed, "Please don't start."

"Are you nauseous, dizzy?" I demanded.

She glared at me until I calmed down, sitting fuming in my seat while out daughter climbed in the back. They chatted about something to do with school while I sat in silence, do mad to even think about speaking.

"How was your day daddy?" Emma chipped from the back.

I unlocked my jaw to answer.

"Just great sweetie." My eyes flash to Bella and my voice hardened, "_Just great_."


	5. 9AM

Edward POV

I moved in bed as the phone rang on the table next to it. I sighed and picked it up, annoyed to the extent where I was fighting the urge to shout down the phone. Now that I had agreed to only work night shifts from Monday to Thursday, I was enjoying my lie ins more than I ever remembered doing when I was a student or a teenager.

Partly because when I was a teenager I always shot out of bed to go and see Bella, and then when I was at university I had a new born daughter to care for. I and Bella never once fought when Emma was tiny, and I think it was because we both understood that we were both going through the same thing.

I picked up the phone as my wife moaned and snuggled closer to me. I was spooning into her back, reaching over her to reach for the phone. I put it to my ear and grunted down the phone.

I looked up as the voice started screeching own the phone, to see the sun light flickering under the curtain.

"Edward is the fete fancy dress themed?" She screamed at me.

I rubbed my eyes and sat up in bed. Bella rolled towards me to put her head in my lap and holding around my hips as I leant back against the head rest.

"Alice this woke you up at half seven in the morning?" I complained.

"Yes Edward." She snapped and I hung up, flinging the phone across the room towards the closet and deep through the open door into it. I then lay down beside my wife as she lay back against my chest.

"We should really get up now... we have to be at the school for nine." She mumbled.

I stroked her hair ad kissed her temple, "I'll go down for nine, you can stay in bed if you want."

She sighed, "Right now nothing sounds better than staying right here."

I let out a breath and smiled, rubbing the side of her stomach gently, "I know."

My eyes fluttered open as I heard soft footsteps walking towards our room. I smiled as Emma stuck her head around and she rushed forwards to jump on me, causing her mother to bounce.

Bella smiled and peeled herself away from me to let our daughter lay down in between us. I then got up in search of breakfast, rubbing my eyes as I waited for the toaster to make the noise.

For the life of me I couldn't think why my five and a half month pregnant wife would want to run the school fete. I sighed, of course I knew why, it was because she couldn't take a break away from work for more than five minutes.

I didn't need my PHD to know how much of a hypocrite I sounded right then, but I couldn't take it back. I wasn't five and a half months pregnant, my wife was, _there_ was the difference.

I slowly carried the tray of food back up the stairs and pushed open the door to our room softly, smiling at what I saw.

Bella was sat against the headboard leaning on a mound of pillows, Emma was sat next to her both her hands on Bella's stomach. I watched as I set the food down on the end of the bed as Bella leant forwards and stroked Emma's hair, whispering things to her.

"Can you feel him, he'd right there." Bella whispered and placed her hand over Emma's so Emma could feel the baby move.

Emma's face lit up and I smiled proudly, feeling my hear contract as I looked at my family.

My daughter turned to look at me, "Daddy come and feel the baby."

I moved to sit beside m daughter and placed my hand on Bella's stomach, my wife and daughter smiled up at me and I felt tears in my eyes as I watched Emma kiss Bella's stomach and whispered and cheer when the baby kicked against her hand.

"Daddy don't cry." Emma laughed and I sniffed, wiping my eyes on the back of my hand and scooping her up in my arms. She giggled and I flipped onto my back and she began to tickle me. I squirmed under her touch but didn't laugh, much to her disappointment.

"Mummy help me tickle daddy!" She cried and Bella laughed, kneeling up beside us with some difficulty and helping my daughter tickle me.

I caught Emma's hand and she looked at me with my identical green eyes.

"Got you." I breathed and tickled her ribs. She laughed and writhed in my arms but I held onto her.

Bella laughed and rubbed her stomach, watching us fool around.

After a little while we tucked into the cold breakfast, although neither me nor Emma complained about the cold toast, and Bella was staying true to eating for two, and ate most of it, although I promised Emma on the quiet that I would buy her candy floss later on.

I got dressed as did my wife and daughter, and I was impressed, we arrived at the school at about 9:15, only a small amount of time late.


	6. Fete Fiasco

When we arrived I wasn't surprised that Emmet and Jasper were already there _attempting_ to be helpful. Neither of them had children at the school but Rosalie was the school secretary, so Emmet _had_ to be here, and Jasper and Alice, never ones to be left out of anything, always helped out.

We three boys had been volunteered to do... as always... the BBQ. This meant that we were stuck on the field, which looked down over the playground where the stalls and other things were. It also meant, that without being caught and shouted at, I could observe my wife.

I kept one eye on Emma, but trusted her not to do anything seriously dangerous. Besides, she spent most of the time with Jo, Angela and Bens daughter, who never strayed far from Angela, me, Ben or Bella, so I wasn't seriously concerned.

This meant that while I turned burgers and repeatedly asked people if they wanted onions, I was able to worry more over Bella.

It was more than annoying that the one day Bella would be spending entirely outside was the day that Forks experienced record temperatures; at no point in the history of forks had it been over twenty degrees more than twice.

I looked up from the BBQ to see Bella wife her forehead on the back of her hand before placing it back on the small of her back. I put my tongs in Jaspers awaiting hand where he had watched me watch Bella.

I smiled a thank you and threw off my apron before jogging down to see my wife. She looked up as I approached and sighed, folding her arms over her chest and glaring at me as I stood beside her.

"I'm taking you home." I said flatly.

"No you're not." She said firmly.

I frowned, "Bella it's not good for you to be out in this heat."

"Edward its _fine_." She stressed.

I rubbed her back and kissed her temple, "No its not, come on, someone else will do this... you don't _need_ to be here..."

No sooner had the words left my mouth than someone else's voice layered over mine, one of an annoying decibel, at such a pitch that it made you want to pierce your eardrums with a stick.

"Oh Bella you _came_, I wasn't sure you would." Jessica Chimed in.

My teeth ground together and I glared at something behind my wife's head, so Jessica couldn't see my clearly distasteful expression.

Jessica was the head of the Parent Teacher association at the school, and even though Bella was the only teacher on the governing board, Jessica still seemed to think that she was somehow more important.

Okay, it wasn't just _that_ which made me _hate_, yes_ hate_, Jessica. It was the way she would phone at inappropriate times to ask stupid questions of my wife, and leave her minutes and stupid things to read well into the night.

It had been the cause of many of our arguments which normal ended in me taking and hiding the articles from Bella, and meant that if when Jessica phoned she was unfortunate to get me, she never got any further.

Bella smiled in response, "I wouldn't have missed it."

I tried not to make it very obvious that I was seething where I stood. Bella kept flashing me looks which told me to behave, and I _was_ trying, I _really_ was.

"Oh and Edward you are here to!" She gushed.

I turned to smile at her, "Of course."  
>Another thing I loathed about Jessica, apart from her behaviour and her <em>husband<em>... I cringed just thinking about _mike_... another thing I hated, was her lack of the ability to take a hint.

To be honest, I couldn't have made it much more obvious that I hated her even if I had tried.

"are you still a doctor Edward?" She asked.

I made a show of how much I didn't care about what she was asking me by being heavy on the sarcasm when I answered.

"Of course Jessica, I didn't spend four years of my life training to be one to give it up."

Bella foot came into contact with my own and I winced.

Jessica flicked her hair, "I just thought maybe you might think about teaching," She laughed, "Or does the thought of teaching children who may be smarter than you scare you."  
>I raised one eyebrow, "So you have many PHD Medicine Doctors under the age of eight here do you?" I stressed and this time she finally seemed to get the hint.<p>

She huffed and sad goodbye to Bella before flitting to annoy someone else.

I smiled and prayed that she decided to strike up conversation with Rosalie. Rose made an even bigger effort to get her feelings across to Jessica than I did.

Bella sighed and leant into my side as I wrapped my arm around her shoulders, the other resting on top of her stomach.

"Are you feeling okay?" I whispered quietly.

She nodded, "I'm just looking forward to going home and putting my feet up."

I stroked her hip, "We don't have to go out tomorrow night you know..."

She shook her head, "You can entertain Emma while I have a sleep, I want to go tomorrow actually, it's a good chance for you to relax."

I frowned, which didn't help my point, "I am relaxing."

She frowned at me, "We had to celebrate my birthday, why shouldn't we celebrate yours?"

"Because its..." I sighed, knowing I didn't really have an excuse.

Bella rolled her eyes and moved out of my embrace to wave at my mother, who had just arrived. Dad was working, and I felt an odd feeling in my stomach.

A few weeks ago _I_ would have been working weekends, but now that I was only working four nights a week, I felt better for spending time with my family, and we weren't desperate for the money, so that wasn't an issue.

My mum pulled out of Bella's hug and placed both hands on Bella's stomach, "You're huge."

Bella laughed, "Yeh but Emma was this big at this stage, so I'm not really bothered."

My mother laughed and led her by the arm to sit on the chair behind the stall. My face exploded into a triumphant smile but Bella glared at me telling me to be quiet.

My mum laughed at our exchange and declared that she was going to go and see Rose and Emmet, most probably more Emmet, to check on what _exactly_ he was doing.

Emma came rushing over and I beamed, scooping her up in my arms and spinning around, causing her to giggle.

I kissed her hair and she chatted about something excitedly. I felt Bella take my hand and I sat down on a chair next to her, Emma still in my lap, smiling at me as I kissed the top of Bella's head and she leant it on my shoulder.

Emma tucked her head under my chin and I smiled. We were a normal family, and none of us could be any happier.


	7. Miss Emma Cullen

**20th June 2010**

Edward POV

I was more than sure that it wasn't the fact that my body clock was wrong which meant that I slept through right until ten AM the next morning. It wasn't even because I was lazy and wanted to spend my birthday curled up in bed doing nothing.

It was the fact that my wife, at five months pregnant, was struggling to get comfortable sleeping. She would sleep happily on her back until it hurt her shoulders and spine, then she moved onto her left side, then the other, until eventually she would feel nauseous and have to vomit two or three times before finally settling to sleep after crying and apologising against my chest.

I rubbed my eyes and sat up in bed just as Bella pushed open the bedroom door to Allow Emma to carefully carry my present up onto the bed, I beamed and settled her in between my lap after making her giggle and squeal by hugging and kissing her repeatedly.

Bella laughed and settled down beside me, kissing my cheek causing me to smile wider.

"Happy birthday." She whispered.

I smiled and thanked her before helping her lean back onto the mound of pillows and making sure she was comfy.

My daughter started to get impatient, "Open your present daddy."

I smiled and set it in front of both of us where she was sat in between my legs.

"Are you going to help me?" I asked quietly, kissing her neck quickly.

She giggled and nodded putting her hands next to mine on top of the wrapped present.

I smiled, "Okay then, ready? Three... two... one..."

We tore off the wrapping paper and I beamed at what I saw wrapped up.

Lying in my hands was a montage of pictures in a frame. Most of them were of me and Emma, but there were some of me ad Bella, Bella and Emma, and a few of my family and hers.

IN the centre was a blank space, and I looked at my wife who leant her head on my shoulder and rubbed her stomach.

"That is for when this little one arrives, so we can have one of all of us." She whispered and I smiled.

I wrapped one arm around each of my girls as they curled into my chest as we watched TV. I smiled to myself, wondering how I could possibly have valued my work over my family at any point.

Everyone at one point in their life should spend twenty four hours doing my job. Because it makes you realise just what the ones you love mean to you, and that one day they could be there, and then the next they could not.

"What's the most bizarre case you have worked on this week?" Bella asked and looked at me where she was sat in the passenger seat of my Volvo, Emma in the back, me driving as we drove to her fathers. Her hand was in mine over the gear stick, and I bit my lip, thinking about her question.

"Well yesterday I treated a boy who was shot in the leg." I told her.

She gasped and I smiled reassuringly at her.

"He was fine, but it transpired that he had been trying to shoot the label off the back of his trainers, and that is how he had shot himself in the leg." I told her and we both laughed.

"He was only eighteen." I chuckled.

She squeezed my hand, "Let me remind you that when we were eighteen I gave birth to Emma." She told me.

I smiled, "I remember." And I did, because that had been one of the best days of my life.

**April 7th 2005**

Bella's hand gripped mine where she was laying on her back in the hospital bed. Her legs were bent and there were midwives dotted around, and a doctor stood at the foot of the bed between her legs. If I was honest, at first I had not been overly keen on this idea, but when I realised, well thought about it some more, I knew that I should just be quiet.

Bella looked at me and let out a stuttering breath, I pushed some hair out of her face and she looked at me anxiously.

"Don't go anywhere." She moaned.

I kissed her forehead and ten her knuckles, her newly established engagement ring pressing into my lips. "I'm staying right here."

"Okay Bella just one more push then your baby will be here." The doctor told her gently.

Bella whimpered and I kissed her forehead.

"Just one more sweetheart, you can do it just one more push..." I urged and she swallowed, tears rolling down her face, I wiped them away hurriedly.

"Shush shush its okay..." I whispered.

"Can you do it for me?" She asked.

I sighed and shook my head, "not this time baby."

She groaned and shifted slightly, "Don't call me that."

I smiled and kissed her temple, reaching around her back with my spare arm so I was holding both her hands. She leant her shoulder into my chest and I kissed the top of her head.  
>"Come on Bella, just one more then... ready... you squeeze my hands." I breathed.<p>

She swallowed, her eyes shut as she hung onto my words.

"We'll do it together?" She whispered.

I nodded and leant my forehead against her temple to whisper into her ear.

"Always."

Bella nodded and groaned, tensing and crying out as the doctor fought to help our baby out.

"Well done love keep going..." I whispered and couldn't help the enormous smile that exploded onto my face when Bella flopped back into my chest and our babies cried filled the room.

I smothered her face in kisses had she sobbed and laughed at the same time, as I chanted out how much I loved her, as she gripped onto me and buried her face in my chest.

The midwife walked over and handed me the wriggling bundle. My own tears spilled over the edge as my daughter, so small and tiny in my arms, suddenly seemed so real, so dependent on me, and I swore then that I would ever let her down.

I smiled and swallowed at Bella, before gently handing her over to her. I bent forwards and kissed her forehead.

"You did wonderfully love." I whispered.

I heard the click of a camera and there was a flash and both of our heads snapped up to see Sarah, the midwife who worked on Bella, but new my father well, as they had trained together, smiled sheepishly at me.

"Your mother begged me to." She laughed.

It was that picture, of me and Bella with our arms both around our daughter, me kissing my wife's forehead as I handed her to her, tears on both our faces, and enormous smiles on our mouths, that sat proudly on my desk at work, and remained to this day, the background on my phone.

We sat quietly beside one another on Bella's hospital bed, me with m arm wrapped around her shoulders, holding her gently into my side. Emma was safe in Bella's arms and my own free arm was outstretched, as my daughter had a tight grip round my index finger.

Bella chuckled and sniffed, fighting the urge to cry, "She doesn't want to let her daddy go."

I swallowed and spoke earnestly, "I won't let either of you down I promise."

Bella smiled and leant her head on my shoulder, "I know you won't."

**JUNE 20th 2010**

I looked in the rear-view mirror at my sleeping daughter just as we pulled onto the road that let up to Charlie's. I smiled at her and felt my heart swell. Bella took my hand and smiled at me, giving it a squeeze, and I could tell she knew what I was thinking about.

"I haven't let you down have I yet?" I breathed and she smiled, leaning to kiss me as I parked the car in front of her father's house.

"And you never will." She breathed against my lips.


	8. Inception and Conception

**June 20****th**** 2010**

Emma bounced beside me as I walked hand in hand with her mother up the steps to her grandfather's front door. I knocked three times and Bella rolled her eyes.

"We _have_ a key." She informed me and Emma ignored us, either that or she wasn't paying attention.

I shrugged, "Old habits die hard... I think that there will always be a part of me that's scared of him."

Bella scoffed, "Oh _please."_

Charlie pulled open the door and I couldn't help but straighten up. Bella nudged my foot with her own and I sighed, giving her hand an apologetic squeeze.

Charlie laughed and patted Emma on the head as she towed him by the hand into the kitchen, her hair bouncing behind her as she ran. I heard Charlie laughing and Bella hugged my arm as we walked much slower through the house.

"I hope our grandchildren get on with us that well when we get older." She whispered.

I groaned, "Grandchildren implies that she's grown up... and I don't want to think about that yet... a those... hormonal... teenage boys..." I shuddered and Bella kissed my shoulder after she finished giggling.

"You were a hormonal teenage boy... that's why I got pregnant when I did." She laughed.

I nodded seriously, "_That's_ why your father _scares_ me."

As I watched Emma, I couldn't bring myself to regret anything that had happened to do with her. She wasn't and never would be, _an accident_, and I was a dangerous person to be around if it was ever suggested that she was a _mistake_.

Yes, we hadn't planned it, but that _was not_ the same thing.

It was a different thing entirely.

**July 1****st**** 2005**

Bella moaned against my lips where she was laying on my bed underneath my. I could feel every contour of her body through her thin summer dress against my own shirtless torso. My shirt, along with the long fourteen calculus homework, was lying abandoned on the floor. And as Bella reached down to run her index fingers under the hem of my boxers I shivered, knowing that if she had her way the rest of my clothes would soon be joining them.

I shook my head and pulled away slightly, moving her hands to back beside her head. She moaned and tuned her head to the side so she could breathe.

Unfortunately for both of us, this exposed her neck to me. I felt my pants grow tight as I bent down to kiss her neck, biting and sucking like some kind of animal.

Bella moaned and her hips bucked slightly towards mine, "Please Edward."

I shook my head, gasping for breath as she turned to flip us over but I pulled away firmly.

"No Bella... I don't... we haven't got any... no..." I was struggling to make sense, and I think that was because her hips were no longer pounding against my own, they were _grinding_.

"Bella no... your dad..." I stammered and my arms shuddered.

She grinned and pushed me backwards, causing me to land against the pillows, with her straddling yam waist sooner than I thought possible.

I shook my head and she sighed, running her hands up my bare chest and placing kisses behind their trail.

"Edward..." She breathed against the bare skin of my chest causing me to shudder and grip the heard board behind my head as I eyes clamped shut in acute need.

"Edward..." She whispered, "You know you want to."

I swallowed, "Bella... pregnant... no..."

She laughed and kissed under my earlobe, "I'll be fine."

Whether it was the fact that I suddenly had no desire to argue with her at all, whether the need had just got to strong, or whether because I truly thought that there was no risk of getting pregnant, I suddenly found my hands exploring Bella's naked body, my own laying under hers as she straddled me. She smiled and I watched as her face clouded with pleasure, my own eyes rolling into the back of my head.

I had for seen no real problem, until sometime later.

**July 21****st**** 2005 **

I shut my locker, wondering why exactly Bella, my long term girlfriend had been avoiding me. I couldn't imagine that it had been something I had done, not that I thought I was above that kind of thing, it's just... well it had been three weeks since we had finally... you know... and since then we had been closer than ever.

Out of the corner of my eyes I saw Bella walking towards me. She looked up form where she had been hugging her books to her chest and quickly went to walk the other way.

I crossed the corridor in two long strides and wrapped my arm around her waist firmly, pulling her to the side and spinning her to face me.

"Why are you avoiding me?" I asked, and the hurt was evident in my voice.

She swallowed and I saw tears in her eyes as she looked down, unblinking.

"Bella..." I gasped quietly and cupped her cheek. She cringed away slightly and my hand fell to my side.

"Love tell me what's wrong please..." I moaned towards the end and she swallowed.

"I'm pregnant Edward." She said quietly and my heart stopped beating.

"I'm going to have yurt baby." She whispered and took a step away from me, the tears flowing on nearly both of our faces now.

"That's what's wrong." She breathed and turned and ran down the hall towards the girls bathroom. I watched as everyone looked after her, and the turned to me. I blinked back my own tears and turned away from them, marching out into the car park and hurling my books on the back seat. I slammed the car door so hard I thought the windows would smash. I leant my head against the roof where my arms were folded and began to cry.

"What have I done?" I whispered.

She'd leave me now... I was sure of it.

Now that I'd ruined her life, she would leave me, and I'd lose her and my child.

Nice job Cullen. I had thought as my world crashed down around me... nice job_._


	9. A Decision to be made

**JUNE 20****th**** 2010**

I looked up from where I had been sat watching my wife where she was stood making dinner. I had repeatedly said, god knows how many times that this _wasn't_ a good idea, and had repeatedly been ignored. It had got to the point, where Charlie decided to play referee. He had put a hand on my back and steered me out of the kitchen towards the porch.

"She needs to rest." I moaned and Charlie handed me a beer, me declining politely. He rolled his eyes as I folded my arms and leant over the porch fencing, him standing beside me. I put my head in my hands and sighed.

"God knows what she gets up to when I'm at work... she's probably cleaning the guttering or mowing the lawn or..." I groaned at the thought and slumped forwards, smacking my forehead against the heel of my hands.

Charlie laughed and raised his beer to his lips, "Yeh she's like her mother for that. Stubborn as an ox."

I chuckled and looked down at me hands, "Well I guess I can't really make comment on the particular human trait."

My father in law rolled his eyes, "You're happy together, that's all that matters."

I smiled and nodded, "That we are sir."

He chuckled, "You really need to start calling me Charlie."

I laughed to, "I guess I'm hoping if I butter you up long enough you'll be my strongest ally in the war against my daughter's future boyfriends." I shuddered and he laughed.

"Yeh I remember when Bella first brought you home, if I'm honest I was ready to shoot you there and then, and I'm a cop, I could have made it happen."

I swallowed and shook my head, "I never doubted you sir."

Charlie clapped me on the back and we looked out over the front lawn, where me and Bella had first had taken part in the most difficult conversation and Charlie, as I didn't know at the time... watched.

**July 21****st**** 2005**

I had followed Bella home, me skidding to a stop in my car just a few metres behind her truck. She climbed out of the cab of the vehicle as I flew out of mine, taking her books and throwing them into the back of her truck as she looked at me with red raw eyes.

"Edward go home." She whispered and I shook my head.

Tears poured down my face and hers did to, "Bella what are we going to do?" I begged.

She shook her head and hopped out of the cab, me catching her elbow as she slipped. Se tumbled into my chest and I held her there until she pushed away with both hands and my own palms dropped to cup her face.

"We aren't going to do anything." She whispered and I frowned.

She swallowed and lowered my hands, kissing the inside of my palm.

"I' m going for a termination in two hours at the clinic at the hospital." She breathed and I felt like I'd been slapped, my breathing became erratic, and I don't think I could see properly.

"Tomorrow, this will all be over, and in three weeks we'll have graduated, you'll be off to med school, and will have forgotten all about me." She breathed and wiped her face of tears.

I shook my head, "Bella please..."

She stretched dup on her toes to kiss me gently and my eyes slid shut, my arms tightening around her in weak hold.

She pulled away and swallowed, "Goodbye Edward."

My eyes snapped open as she ran away from me, into her house as I stood on her lawn, crying and hurling abuse at my car when it wouldn't start. I sat in my seat and sobbed, head resting on the steering wheel.

It must have been hours later, when it started to get dark that I realised that Bella hadn't gone to the clinic.

I sat up in my seat and blinking my stinging yes. I climbed out of the car and walked over to the house, where as I neared the porch steps, Bella flung open the door and dove at me.

I caught her in my arms as she ran at me, sobbing into my chest.

"I'm sorry, I'm so so sorry." She cried and I shushed her.

New tears fell from my own stinging eyes as I kissed her hair and hugged her tighter to me.

"I couldn't go through with it... Edward I couldn't I'm sorry..." She sobbed and I pulled back cupping her face in my hands and beaming at her though my tears. I sucked slightly to her level and she swallowed, laughing thickly.

"I'm going to be a dad." I whispered, beaming wider at the sound of it.

She nodded and sniffed, "But what about college, and money... and what are people going to say."

"I don't care." I breathed, and it was true, right then all the practical things couldn't have seemed less important.

"Bella I _don't_ care, all I want is for you and our baby to be happy and healthy." I laughed and pulled her back to me. She shook her head as her hands rested in fists on my chest, her head tipping back to look at me as my own hands wrapped around her waist.

"We can't love off happiness Edward... and how are we going to tell everyone..." she was going to cry again so I hushed her.

"We only need to tell the people we want to, and tell them to keep it quiet. As for our school friends, they need never know. In three weeks we are leaving school for good, and even in a few months before we go to college you won't be showing that much. We can still go to college but we can be a family, my parents managed it with Emmet, why should it be any different for us." I whispered and she smiled, stretching up to kiss me hard.

"I love you so much Edward." She whispered.

I beamed and picked her up under her arms, spinning her arms causing is both to laugh as I set her on the floor and kissed her.

"I love you to Bella." I whispered.

She giggled and hooked her arms around my neck, leaning in for a kiss just as the porch light flickered on and a silhouette appeared at the door.

"You two, inside, _now_." My father in law had shouted.

I had swallowed, and Bella had gripped me tighter.


	10. My Father in Law

**June 20****th**** 2010**

"Do you ever wonder what it would have been like, if you and Renee had stayed together?" I asked quietly. Charlie sighed and shook his head. We were still stood on the porch, looking out over the garden, which was quickly growing brighter in the afternoon sun.

"I try not to." He said, "But then, when I see what you and Bella have achieved, and how happy you are... I can't blame the teenage parent thing anymore... there's always the thought that... if I'd have tried as hard as you did, to keep Bella happy and provide for her... If I'd been more accepting of what she needed... then maybe things wouldn't have ended the way they did." He whispered at the end and I felt bad for bringing it up, so I decided to change the subject.

"I never forget when you we had to tell you about Emma..." I chuckled and he did to.

"Well, you have a daughter now, you can empathise with just what was going through my head." He said and I rolled my eyes.

Charlie stood straighter, "You see at that point, I had been able to convince myself that you were still sleeping in separate beds every evening."

I wanted to tell him that it only happened once prior to Bella's pregnancy... but that would have been a lie.

**July 21****st**** 2005**

"Do you have _any_ idea how _irresponsible_ you two have been?" Charlie yelled where he was stood shouting at us. Bella was holding my hand tightly in both of hers, my other rubbing her back gently.

"Chief Swan please..." I started when Charlie whirled around, stopping his pacing abruptly to scream at me.

"I'm not even ready to talk to _you_ yet young man!" He snapped and I shut up.

Charlie put his head in his hands as he flopped down in his arm chair. Bella got up from where we were sitting and made to walk over to him. I caught her arm and shook my head, not knowing exactly _ what_ kind of frame of mind Charlie was in. It wasn't that I thought he would ever hurt her as such, it was just that I didn't want him to lash out, or upset her... I never wanted that.

Bella smiled encouragingly and let go of my hand, me sitting on the edge of my seat ready to jump up as she sat down on the arm of the arm chair, wrapping her arms around her father and kissing his temple.

"I'm sorry dad." She whispered.

Charlie sighed and shook his head, sitting up and pulling her into his side, "You don't have to apologise Bells, I'm just worried for you... that's all."

Charlie's eyes flashed to mine and I stiffened, swallowing and standing up.

"I'll give you two a minute." I muttered and went to walk out of the room when Bella caught my hand. I squeezed it and she did back, smiling thankfully at me as I left.

I watched just outside the door, leaning against the wall with my hands in my pockets, head tilted towards the ceiling.

"I hope you know what you are doing Bella." Charlie said quietly.

I think she may have nodded, "He'll take care of me, and the baby... I know he will."

Charlie sighed, "I know that, it's just... it's a big task, having a baby, at any age... and speaking with experience..." He sighed again, "I just don't want you to make the same errors me and your mother did."

I heard Bella swallow, "We won't."

Charlie must have been smiling, "I love you Bells, my biggest achievement."

Bella sniffed and I was sure she was crying, "I love you to dad."

There came the sound of them getting up and moving and Bella came out of the door. She smiled and indeed she had been crying. I beamed back and she wrapped her arms around my chest in a tight hug. I rubbed her back and kissed the top of her head.

There were heavy footsteps and I looked up form smiling at Bella to be met with a steely eyed Charlie. I swallowed and Bella looked up, tightening her arms around me as Charlie spoke.

"Edward can I have a word?" He grumbled.

I nodded and put my hands behind my back to remove Bella's vice like grip on my belt, which meant she wasn't going anywhere.

"Dad..." She started and Charlie straightened up, walking towards the kitchen.

"Now." He said firmly and disappeared into the kitchen.

Bella lowered her arms slowly and I touched her cheek in comfort, knowing she wasn't set on the idea of me being in a room alone with her father. I and Charlie had always got along okay, but I wasn't sure exactly where our relationship stood now.

Okay, scratch that, I knew _exactly_ where it stood.

Well with hell, was _exactly_ where.

I shut the kitchen door behind me and went to stand in front of Charlie.

He glared at me, "If you _hurt her_..." He spoke clearly and quietly.

"I _will_ kill you... or slam the biggest law suit on you I can okay?" He asked.

I swallowed and nodded, "Yes sir."

Charlie nodded and sat down, turning back to his paper.

I took that as my cue to leave and turned when Charlie barked after me.

"Oh and Edward?"

I tuned slowly, ready to duck if he was holding his gun.

He wasn't, he simply looked at me over his paper. He coughed, "You'll be a good dad."

I smiled and ducked me head in appreciation, "Thank you sir."

Bella was waiting for me on the porch, she was sitting on the step, hands on her stoma, looking out over the yard. I went and sat next to her, wrapping one arm around her shoulders as she leant in closer to me.

I shivered and subbed her shoulder, "You're freezing."

She shrugged, "I'm okay."

I took off my jacket and placed it over her shoulders, she sighed and I kissed the top of her head.

"We have to tell your parents." She whispered and I sighed, wondering just how judgemental my father would be, and how excited y sister would be.

On both accounts, it didn't bare thinking about.


	11. Kicked into touch

**June 20****th**** 2010**

I was laughing with Charlie on the Porch about all the times he had thought about shooting me, and which type of gun I should invest in for Emma's _protection_, as well as my own piece of mind when my daughter came skidding onto the porch, hugging around my leg.

I stroked her hair, "hey Em what's up?"

She shook her head and pulled on my hand. "Mummy..." She gasped.

I read the urgency in her eyes and bolted through the house, Charlie was more than three paces behind me, and I think he was more than impressed that I managed to cross the entire house in four strides.

I flew into the kitchen to see my wife stood at the sink, wrapping her hand in a wet dish cloth. I walked over to stand behind her. She looked up and put her had out of view.

"Its fine..." She said but I caught her wrist, pulling it for me to inspect.

I gently un-wound the bloody dish cloth to reveal a long cut along the inside of her palm.

She opened her mouth to speak when I gave her a withering look. She shut her mouth and sighed, watching me as I examined the cut, her blood going all over my fingers.

"Its not deep, I'll wrap it up for you." I said and steered her back towards the table, my hand under her elbow to keep it elevated.

She frowned as I pulled the chair out for her to sit, "Edward Its fine."

I grabbed Charlie's first aid kit off of the top of the fridge and sat down opposite her, shrugging out of my jacket and rolling up my shirt sleeves as I did so.

"Trust me, I'm a doctor." I said seriously and she smiled slightly, extending her hand towards me a i cleaned the cut, not liking it when she hissed though her teeth.

"Sorry love." I whispered and wrapped it tightly to stop the bleeding.

Charlie walked in with Emma then, my daughter coming to stand beside me, here hands on my thigh as she watched he bandage her mother's hand.

Charlie sighed and washed he bloody kitchen knife so Emma couldn't see. I smiled a thank you at him and I sighed, looking back at my wife.

"You _told_ me you'd rest after you'd finished." I reminded her.

She sighed and leant her head in the hand I wasn't wrapping.

"I was going to I just... thought it would be nice if I washed up..."

My eyes flashed and she was quiet. Charlie sighed and shook his head.

"This isn't the first time he's had to sort you out either, if I remember correctly." Her father said and I felt a smile tug at the corners of my mouth.

**September 19****th**** 2005**

I knocked on the door the Charlie's house three times. Even though the key was in my pocket, I could never bring myself to use it, this was his house, and I was thankful that I was still welcome in it.

Charlie opened it and smiled at seeing me. I nodded and walked into the house. I was around here nearly days now... well, the days when Bella wasn't at mine, which was nearly every day. So basically, although Bella had moved in with me at my parents, she still came home nearly every night to cook Charlie his dinner.

Although I knew that Charlie wasn't the most gifted in the kitchen, Charlie could see that it bothered me that Bella was on her feet for that amount of time, and so as a peace keeping move, I now came with her every day.

I had been at medical school today, and so Bella had been with her father all day, which I think they had both been looking forward to. Bella was due for her ultrasound early the next morning, so I doubted we would be staying late. She found it hard enough to get to sleep as it was, and then waking up was as much of a challenge.

There was a crash from the kitchen and I flew past Charlie, sliding to a stop beside my girlfriend, who was bent down on the floor picking up pieces of a broken mug. My eyes blazed and I crouched down in front of her.

"Sit down." I barked and she did so. I put the pieces of broken mug in the bin and was about to sit down opposite her when I noticed that she had her had balled into a fist.

I held my hand open and had my jaw set as she sighed, unfolding her hand to reveal a long gash up the inside of her finger.

I frowned, "Where's the first aid kit?"

"On top of the fridge." She spoke quietly.

I retrieved it and sat down opposite her. Neither of us spoke as I fixed her finger.

"There, finished." I said and turned away to put the small green box back in its rightful place beside the bread bin.

Bella gasped quietly and her hands flew to her rounded stomach. I spun and landed in my seat.

"Bella?" I demanded.

Tears rolled down her face and I wiped them away hurriedly, "What's wrong, what hurts?"

She shook her head and took both my hands, placing them on her stomach under her own.

I opened my mouth to speak when a soft thumping came against my hands.

My own tears rolled down my cheeks and we beamed at one another, both of us crying like idiots as we felt out baby kick from side her.

"I love you." I whispered.

She beamed back and hooked her hands in my hair, "I love you to."

**June 20****th**** 2010**

I laughed and lifted Emma into my lap, she looked at me for confirmation into what her grandfather had said. I kissed her hair and gestured to her mother.

"Last time I had to make mummy better in Granddads kitchen, she you were the baby inside mummy, and that was when we first felt you move." I told her gently.

Emma smiled and put her had on Bella stomach.

"Yeh?" She said quietly.

I rubbed her back and kissed her hair, pulling her back into my lap and tickling her, causing her to giggle.

"Yeh." I replied quietly and she smiled, nestling her head under my chin and wrapping her arms far around me as she could.

Bella smiled at me and Charlie did to.

"You make me look bad son." He laughed and sat down at the other side of the table, just as the doorbell rang.


	12. A blast from the past

Bella went to answer the door and I sighed listening intently when I heard her voice raise a pitch, and the sound of her hush her tone. I stood and went out into the hall, walking around the corner to stand right behind my wife. I stared into the eyes of the man who was causing her discomfort and he stiffened as I did.

"Jacob." I said flatly.

"Edward." He said in a tone that mirrored both of our body languages.

Jacob was the son of Charlie's best friend. He had always fancied Bella, and when we started dating, I thought that it would die out, but it didn't. He became obsessive, waiting outside her house to catch a conversation with her before I arrived to take her to school.

Even when Bella got pregnant, he still rang at inappropriate times and left rude messages. It was weird, and creepy.

I and Bella had often fought about it, because my wife, determined to see the good in everyone, couldn't see just how upset this was making me, and more importantly her.

It had been when I had mentioned it to Charlie which led to Jacob being landed with a restraining order, one which was later revoked after he had made no impulse move to see my wife.

I hadn't seen him in years, and neither had my wife, and we had both hoped, well I had prayed, that he had moved off of the nearby reservation to annoy someone else.

I despised Jacobs, and my wife was frightened of him, which made me even more mad just thinking about it.

"Bella, you're looking... lovely..." Jacob grinned and pulled Bella behind me, moving to tower over Jacob. He was a head shorter than me, which meant that I was blocking most of my wife from his view.

"Get out of here now." I growled.

Jacob laughed and I took a step towards him, which meant he took a step back.

"I don't think you're in a position to tell me what to do." He chuckled.

"Oh I think I might be you son of a..." I snarled.

"Daddy!"

Bella caught Emma by the shoulders and I held my hand out by my hip to stop her from passing me.

Jacob smiled, "My god... she looks just like you Edward... it's a shame really, she'd look Better if she was like her mother..."

I lunged for him just as Charlie appeared between us, both of us glaring hard at one another, Charlie's hands on both of our chests, holding us apart.

"Jacob, leave now." Charlie said firmly.

Jacobs eyes flickered from me and Charlie, but he shrugged out of Charlie's grip, ad turned away and walked towards his truck, driving away through the rain.

I glared after him and Charlie patted my back.  
>"Come on son, not in front of your girls come on... let it go." He said firmly.<p>

I swallowed and nodded, turning around and walking back into the house. I went straight into he lounge and sat down, putting my head in my hands.

Bella came and sat beside me, rubbing my back and kissing my temple.

"I hate him." I moaned towards the end.

Bella kissed my head, "I know my love... I know."

"What time are we going to your parents?" Bella asked quietly where she was sat on the sofa next to me, tucked into my side as I kissed her hair. I and Charlie were watching the game on the flat screen, and as Emma sat on the floor colouring, Bella drifted in and out of sleep.

We had been having the conversation about her going to bed to sleep for well over an hour, and in the end I had just given up, and let her sleep against me.

I looked at the clock, "Soon, mums cooking dinner for half past five."

Bella nodded and straightened up; I rubbed her back as she stretched.

"Are you sure you won't come Charlie?" I asked my father in law.

He shook his head, "Sorry son, I'm working at the Station on lates, but I might call in and seen you all tomorrow If that's okay."

I smiled, "Sure, you can look after my girls while I'm at work."

Bella rolled her eyes and stood up, shrugging into her coat as Emma did the same. I stood up with the car keys just as Emma hugged Charlie.

"Bye Grandpa." She sang and then flitted out into the hall.

Bella hugged her father and he kissed her hair, "See ya Bells."

I shook Charlie's hand and he clapped me on the back.

We walked out towards the car hand in hand, Emma climbing into the back as Charlie stood on the porch and waved us off. I helped Bella into the car and I got in beside her, pulling out of the drive and waving at Charlie.

I looked at m daughter in the rear-view mirror and then at my wife, leaning back in my seat and smiling.

**April 7****th**** 2005**

Bella's hand was tight in both of mine where she was laying on her side facing me in the hospital bed. My own head was lying on my arms where I was falling in and out of sleep. We had been at this fourteen hours already, and I was drained, trying desperately to stay awake when she was, and trying to catch sleep when she was asleep.

"Do you think that they'll be okay?" My mum said quietly.

I heard my dad sigh, "They'll look after each other, and they;re both mature for their age..."

"Can you give me the none brochure version please." She had snapped and he sighed again.

"They love each other very much; it will all be fine... besides... we managed." He told her.

I think she nodded, "Yeh... that we did."

Bella's hands tightened in min and I sat up as she groaned, me blinking and yawning as I rubbed her back, and kissed her forehead.

"There's a lot of pressure now." She whimpered.

I rubbed her shoulders gently, "You're doing very well."

She smiled, "I'm just trying to impress you."

I chuckled and bent forwards to kiss her forehead, "No need, my heart is yours, and it always _will_ be."


	13. Pound for pound

**June 20****th**** 2010**

"Cheers!"Everyone cried and clinked glasses where we were all sat around the large circular table my parents kept for events just like this. Now that we had all grown up and moved out, it was rare that we all sat around together eating and drinking at the house if there wasn't some kind of reason behind it.

The amount of alcohol consumption in the room was growing, and it was reaching the point where only my wife and Emma could say that they truly weren't drunk.

Emmet was a giggly drunk, and as such kept laughing at things that were neither funny or existed.

Jasper was a cuddly drunk, and was stroking Alice's hair, which wouldn't have been so bad, had he not kept missing and just stroking her face instead.

My mother and father were actually pretty sober, although I think that my dad was trying desperately hard not to look pissed, because he knew exactly what mum thought about drinking.

Although a phrase about a pot calling a kettle a very dark shade sprung to mind, I was smart enough to keep it well to myself.

Rosalie and Alice were just generally having a good time and talking more to my wife than me, which left me, who was sat next to my mother and no one else, because Bella had moved some time ago to be nearer to her two best friends.

My mother smiled at me when she caught me smiling at my wife. My eyes flitted over to Emma very occasionally, where she was laying on the sofa, long asleep. I was surprised my wife was still this awake, and I was more than prepared to have to get her ready for bed here, and sleep at home by myself tonight.

"I'm very proud of you." My mum said quietly and I groaned, feeling like an embarrassed teenager.

"Mum..."

"What?" She got defensive, "I'm being serious."

I rolled my eyes and she kissed my cheek.

"I raised you well." She commented.

I nodded, letting out a breath, "That you did."

My mum smiled, seeing that my eyes were on Emma again.

"I remember when she was born..." She whispered.

I nodded slightly, "So do I."

**April 7****th**** 2005**

Bella had been asleep for just under an hour, and I was still sat with my sleeping daughter in my arms in the hard backed chair beside Bella's bed.

Even though she was nearly three hours old, I couldn't put her down. Now that was here she seemed so real, so vulnerable, and putting her down could mean anything.

So I made the decision that it would be best for everyone involved, including myself, If I kept her next to me. The room we were in was only softly lit in one place by the lamp by my head.

Bella was lying facing me, breathing in and out softly, her chest rising and falling in perfect motion.

Emma rubbed her eyes and yawned, snuggling back down further into the blankets.

I ran my finger down her cheek gently to calm her, and she caught it tight in her fist.

"You've got quite a grip on you there sweetheart, I think Uncle Emmet will be asking for you on his team for family baseball when you are older." I chuckled to myself just thinking about it.

"But don't you worry, daddy won't be letting you anywhere out of his sight for at least eighteen years, so you'll be fortunate to even leave the house." I smiled.

I sighed, "I never thought it would feel this good, being a dad." As I spoke a large smile spread across my face at just the mention of my new title.

"I love you so much Emma... and one day, you'll know the feeling me and your mother are experiencing now..." I sighed, "Not soon mind you, you have your whole life for _that."_ I shuddered and smiled. "Because one day, although i don't want to think about it now... one day you'll have another man who takes care of you... but for _now_..." I stressed and chuckled.

"I am _never_ going to let you down... you or your mother. You and her mean more to me than anything, and I _promise you_... that you will be the most loved little girl there has ever been, and as long as our happy, then I won't need anything else." I whispered and kissed her forehead.

"Do you talk to me like that when _I'm_ asleep?" A soft voice asked.

I looked up to see Bella smiling at me, her eye heavy with sleep.

Smiling I stood and placed Emma gently in her cot thing beside the bed. I kissed her forehead and she stirred slightly but didn't wake.

I then went and lay down beside my wife on the hospital bed. She pulled the duvet over us as I kicked off my shoes. Bella snuggled into my side and winced.

My eyes shot down to look at her, "Are you okay?"

She nodded tiredly, "Yeh its just a bit _sore_..." She stressed and I kissed her hair.

"How much did she weigh?" Bella yawned.

I stroked her hair, "eight pounds nine, you did very well my love. Dad said he thought you'd freak out after pushing once, and that he was impressed you saw it all the way though."

Bella laughed, "Well I couldn't disappoint."

I kissed her gently and lay my head on top of hers, my eyes sliding shut.

"You never do."


	14. You and I

**June 20****th**** 2010**

Bella leant her head on my shoulder and I kissed her hair where we were now sat on the sofa of my parent's house. Everyone else was dotted around, Emma asleep net to me, curled into a ball with her head in my lap. I ran my fingers through her hair and smiled down at her. My wife kissed my shoulder and I wrapped my arm tighter around her shoulders.

She shifted slightly and winced, rubbing under her stomach.

Rosalie caught on only slightly quicker than me.

"Are you okay?" She asked.

Bella nodded, "I guess I'm not going to be getting any sleep tonight." She yawned and I kissed her temple, rubbing her stomach and standing up, making sure Emma wasn't jostled.

I helped Bella up and we bid farewell to our family.

Esme hugged me and Bella, as I shook hands with my father and then hugged him. I picked Emma up and she pressed her face into my neck, causing me to chuckle and stroke her back as she mumbled incoherently into my neck.

Everyone awed as I stroked her hair and she fell asleep in my arms. Bella took my hand and we walked out towards the car, my mother and father stood on the porch and waved us goodnight as we pulled out of the drive.

I carried Emma into the house and laid her down on her bed, before changing her into her pyjamas and tucking her in. I stroked her forehead and kissed her head gently.

"I love you baby girl." I whispered and was about to stand up from sitting on the edge of the bed when she spoke quietly, opening her eyes slightly to smile tiredly at me.

"I love you to daddy." She whispered.

I smiled and kissed her cheek, "Sweet dreams." I whispered and turned on her night light before standing and walking to the door, turning as I shut it to see that she was already asleep.

I shut mine and Bella's door behind me and walked over to the closet, removing my jacket just as Bella walked back into the bedroom and got into bed as I removed my clothes and pulled on a t-shirt. Before spooning into her back and kissing below her ear.

She sighed and giggled as I began to pepper kisses all down her neck. She shook her head and I chuckled.

"What?"

She tilted her head to smile at me, "I love you."

I beamed and kissed her gently, "I love you to.""

**April 5****h**** 2005**

"Edward I want this baby to come now." Bella groaned where she was lying on the sofa, her hands over her eyes. I sighed and stood up from where I had been sat on the coffee table, putting a DVD in the TV for us to watch.

I sighed and sat down on the edge of the sofa facing her, rubbing her stomach with my left hand and stroking her hair with the other.

"Sweetheart the baby will come when it's ready..." I started but was cut off by her.

"Edward its been a _week_!" she cried, "A _week_ since my due date and there is _no_ sign that this baby is coming out." She snapped and tears rolled down her cheeks.

I frowned and kissed the back of her hands, pulling them away from her face and kissing away her tears.

"Come on love cheer up, it won't be long now I promise." I whispered.

She moaned and rubbed her stomach, "But Edward..."

"Edward nothing." I said firmly and kissed her gently.

She sighed and stroked my cheek as I kissed the top of her stomach.

"If you keep that up they'll never come out." She moaned and pushed herself to sit upright.

She leant back against the arm of the sofa and rubbed her stomach as I sat down on the sofa and rubbed her feet.

"Do you think my ankles look fat?" She muttered.

I smiled, "what ankles?"

Bella kicked me hard in the chest and I chuckled, wincing and kissing the top of her feet gently.

"I'm sorry." I whispered.

She rolled her eyes and rubbed under her stomach again, a small smile on her face as she looked down at it. My own hands covered hers and she spoke quietly.

"I can't wait to meet them."

"Neither can I." I smiled and she looked up to beam at me.

I sighed and shifted to the edge of the sofa again, her eyes following me with confusion.

"Edward what are you doing" She asked as I shifted uncomfortably.

"I spoke to your dad earlier and... and he said... I don't know whether you..." I was sure I was sweating.

Her eyes narrowed but widened as I reached deep into my pocket and then knelt down on one knee beside the sofa.

"Edward..." She gasped.

I swallowed, "Isabella Marie Swan, I promise to love you every single moment of my life. I will look after and protect both, you and this baby, as well as any children you may continue to bless me with in the future. My heart is yours, and you can keep it, because I love you, and I am asking you, with all of this in my mind, if you would consider being my wife?" I whispered and popped the catch go the small black box.

Tears were pouring down Bella's face.

There was a pause while I knelt there, feeling like an arse.

"Yes, Edward of course oh yes!" She cried and threw her arms around my neck, gluing her lips to mine. I pulled back to slip the ring on her finger and she looked at it for a moment before smiling at me again.

I kissed her gently again and she stroked my cheek.

"You and me... we'll be okay wont we?" She whispered.

I touched my forehead to hers and she kissed me gently.

"You know we will." I whispered and she wrapped her arms around me in a hug.

I rested my chin on her forehead, and smiled up at the ceiling.

"Thank you." I whispered to whoever I had made think I deserved this girl in my arms.

To whoever had given her to me.


	15. A&E

Edward POV

**June 27****th**** 2010**

I woke up partially to Bella poking me in the side, sitting up in bed, her voice a whisper.

"Edward." She hissed and smacked me in the side of the head.

I groaned, "What?"

"I think I hear someone downstairs." She said.

I moaned and sat up on my elbows, looking at her through one eye, "You _think_?"

She nodded and wrapped her arms around herself. She must have been awake a while, if she had been awake long enough to work herself into the mind frame that there was an axe murder downstairs it seemed.

I sighed, sitting up all the way and rubbing my eyes. Even though I knew it was more than likely that there was in fact _nothing_ downstairs, it wouldn't help anyone if Bella wasn't in some way reassured that we weren't all going to be murdered in our beds.

"Alright..." I muttered and got out of bed, already feeling cold now that I had been out of the covers not thirty seconds.

I padded softly over to the door and considered taking a _weapon_ with me. My eyes flitted to a nearby coat hanger and then to my wife. Her eyes narrowed, and I knew that she knew I was taking the piss. So I left the coat hanger, and took another step towards the door.

"Edward?" She whispered after me.

I turned around and she smiled sheepishly at me.

"If there isn't anything dangerous down there, could you bring me back a yoghurt?"

I stared at her in disbelief and sighed, nodding before turning back to the door.

"Actually?"

I turned back around again to see her grinning at me.

"Even if there is someone down there, bring me a yoghurt either way." She giggled and flopped back onto her back, "Thank you!" She dismissed me with a wave of her hand.

I muttered something even my brain didn't get and continued down stairs.

**August 4****th**** 2010**

"Lauren where's my dad?" I asked as I wiped my patients name off of the board, seen as they had been allowed to go home. I was pleased with my work so far for today, and as such, was hopping from one foot to the other in anticipation for going home in just over an hour.

Lauren shifted and passed me another file. "He's with a patient, there's a child coming back from x-ray that Dr Yorkie wants you to look at..."

I waved it off, "I'll look at him in a minute, I just need to ask..."

My own words threatened to choke me when I saw the name next to that of my father on the white board, telling me exactly where he was and who with.

I all but ripped the file from Laurens hand as I raced down the hospitals corridors, jumping gurneys and dodging machinery and patients as I went.

I flew open the door to see my father sat on a chair facing a small girl with long hair and bright eyes. He was wrapping her arm in a sling, and she looked up when the door swung closed behind me.

"Daddy!" She cried and my father's eyes snapped up to look at me evenly.

Emma leapt off of the chair and into my arms. I kissed her hair and held her tight in my arms as I looked at the x-rays on the wall. They showed me no serious sign of fracture or break, and it seemed she just had a sprain.

"Did you check for internal bleeding, bone marrow leakage, concussion?" I demanded.

My father sighed, "Yes Edward, Calm down."

"What happened Em?" I asked and pulled back from our hug to look at her.

She spoke with suck innocence I thought I was going to pass out.

"Me and Mummy were going to Aunty Alice's to get my hair done, but then there was this other car, and it was going really fast daddy. It hit us, and then my arm hurt, but mummy seemed okay, and then we were brought here by Grandpa Charlie, because he was the one who turned up after the accident." She finished.

I nodded and set her on the floor, "Be good for Grandpa Carlisle, I'm going to see mummy." I kissed her forehead and she nodded.

I pushed open the door and once again raced down the corridors, not thinking I had time to go back and check the board to see exactly where my wife was. After all, I worked here; I was just going to have to wing it.

I pushed open a door to see Charlie stood with his arms folded over his chest, watching his daughter with anxious eyes.

Bella was stood up, pacing around the room, obviously in distress and having been crying.

Dr Grenedy put his hands out to guide Bella to sit down but she smacked them way, resting one on her back and using the other to point at him.

"There is _nothing_ wrong with me; I want to see my daughter." She snapped, more tears threatening to fall.

Charlie sighed, "Come on Bells, let him look at you and then you can go and see Emma..."

"No I _want_ to see her..." This time the tears did fall and Dr Grenedy looked anxious.

"Mrs Cullen she's with Dr Cullen, now I suggest we make sure both you and the baby are okay before we do anything else okay?" He asked and Bella opened her mouth to argue with him when I walked further into the room.

"Bella." I said and her eyes snapped up. She swallowed and let out a stuttering breath and I held my arms open as I got nearer to her. She launched herself into them and sobbed into my chest. Whether it was from shock or from general hormones I did not know, but never the less, I stroked her back and kissed her temple.

"Lets just make sure that your okay shall we?" I whispered.

"But Emma..." She pulled back and I cupped her cheek gently.

"She's fine, I've just seen her, she's with my dad." I told her and she nodded, seeming to calm down slightly.

"Okay then, I'll call Sharon to do an ultrasound, and then I'll come back" Dr Grenedy said and left, me wrapping an arm around Bella and leading her to lay on the bed.

I kissed her forehead, "It's going to be okay."

She sighed and sunk back into the pillow.

"I hope so." She whispered and I smile sadly.


	16. 2AM

**February 1****st**** 2010**

Edward POV

"Thank you so much for this Esme." Bella said for the fourth time as she handed my mother our daughters school bag over the doorstep. Esme waved it off with her hand.

"I'm more than happy to help, besides its not very day your mother comes to stay, enjoy it, and don't worry, I'll cook dinner for all of us this evening, in case you had plans?" My mother asked.

Bella shook her head, "Esme you really don't have to…"

"Tush." My mother said again and I grunted where I was frying eggs for mine and Bella's late breakfast. I knew she dint want to eat, but since as I wasn't working until later, I had made it my job to make sure she got something inside of her before we went to get her mother.

After all, what kind of doctor or husband would I be if we turned up to collect my mother in law from the airport only to tell her that my wife had been ill this morning and I hadn't even bothered to try and get her strength back up.

"Well thank you again." Bella said and bent down to hug Emma who seemed eager to get to school.

"Be good and have fun." Bella laughed as Emma raced past her to hug me.

I picked her up and she hugged me tight. I kissed her temple and she giggled.

"Be good sweetheart." I whispered and she nodded, kissing my cheek before jumping down and rushing out to my mother's car.

Bella stood and waved them goodbye before sighing and shutting the door, and walking back into the kitchen to sit at the table looking at her hands.

I sighed and put her food in front of her, being more than surprised when she suddenly though her arms around my waist and buried her face into my stomach, swallowing repeatedly.

I stroked her hair in confusion.

"Sweetheart what wrong?"

She shook her head, "I have to tell you something…. It's pretty big?"

I frowned, wondering why she sounded so unsure.

"What is it Bella?" I asked and crouched down facing her, holding her teary face in my hands.

She smiled slightly, "I'm pregnant."

I froze, beamed, and cheered mentally all in the same second.

"we're going to have another baby?" I gasped and she nodded.

I practically leaped up and grabbed her in my arms; planting kissed everywhere I could reach.

She laughed, "I thought you'd be mad?"

"Mad?" I gasped, "Why would I be mad…" I laughed, "I'm going to be a daddy again!"

**August 4****th**** 2010**

I sat blinked a couple of times, wondering how the hell I was still awake.

Well, okay, I knew why I was still awake at nearly 2am; it was because Bella, having been released from hospital with nothing more than slight distress from the accident, was causing me nightmares.

Every time I closed my eyes I was plagued by images of her and Emma in the car accident, only this one was different, because every time I saw it, they died, and at the hands of the person driving the other car, who's face I could never make out.

Bella sighed and looked up at me though tired eyes.

"Why are you still awake?" She mumbled, "What time is it?"

I sighed, "Two AM, go back to sleep."

She moaned and rubbed her back in frustration, obviously the baby was pressing against her spine. I sighed, this had been the point in pregnancy with Emma where Bella had started to experience pain and problems, and I was more than sure that this time would be no different.

She sighed and swallowed, "Well seen as we are both awake, I want to talk to you about something."  
>I was sure my eyes furrowed, "Okay?"<p>

She reached to turn on the bed side light and we both flinched when the light hurt our eyes, but became accustomed to it after a few second.

She rolled onto her side facing me, and I rubbed her stomach and side, as well as the arm that wasn't propping her up, her head resting in her palm.

"I've been offered the position of head teacher at the school now that Mrs. Weber has left."

She looked at me and my jaw locked, she spoke again after a few minutes of me not saying anything.

"I accepted." She said and I groaned, rolling onto my back and covering my face in my hands.

Clearly, this had not been the reaction she had been excepting.

"What?" She demanded.

"Why are you even telling me if you've already made the decision?" I demanded, sitting up on my elbows to look at her.

She scowled, "I don't need your permission Edward." She snapped and then spoke softer, "I've been trying to tell you for a few weeks but I didn't know how."

I frowned, "this is just perfect you know that, it's not like being pregnant has been a stress free environment for you as it is, and now you want to take on more work, when your pregnant with our baby, your right, there is absolutely_ no_ reason for me to know… _none_."

She glared at me, "Edward if I had thought you would be able to handle it I would have told you sooner."

"I am handling it." I tried my level best not to shout.

"Brilliant, then there's no issue?" She demanded.

"Absolutely none." I said and rolled onto my side away from her.

"Fine." She snapped and flicked off the light before rolling onto her side away from me.

All of a sudden, when the lights went out. We seemed a thousand miles apart in that bed.

I was forced to lie on my side listening to her trying not to cry. I swallowed and reached behind me to rub her arm. She flinched slightly when I did touch her, but she calmed down and let me stroke her side.

"I'm sorry." I whispered.

She swallowed and took my hand tight in hers, "I'm sorry to."

I rolled over back onto my other side and wrapped one arm around her waist, kissing the back of her head, pulling her into my chest.

"You'll be a great headmistress." I whispered.

She swallowed and I thought she smiled, "thank you, I love you."

I knew I smiled, "I love you to."


	17. Sleep

**July 27****th**** 2005**

Edward POV

I wasn't very happy this morning, which was unusual, as normally on the last day of the school year I was ecstatic, looking forward to the prospect of spending six weeks away from school with Bella. An intimate six weeks at that.

However, on this last day of school, which would be my _very_ last day of high school, I was nearing depressed. I had been up half the night worrying about Bella.

Charlie had phoned me just after I had finished dinner to tell me that Bella had got herself upset over something, and that she wouldn't tell anyone what it was, and only that she needed to sleep. He said she had gone to bed early in the evening, only just before he had phoned me.

Of course his immediate thought had been that I had left her, and he started the conversation ready to come round my house and lynch me if I owned up to it.

Of course it wasn't true, and if anything this made me worry more, that I had no idea what was wrong with Bella. I couldn't think that there would be something wrong with baby, for we had been for a sonogram the day before, and it had been one of the happiest days of my life.

I told Charlie if it was alright with him I would go and see Bella, he said it was okay, and that he would watch out for me.

When I had arrived she had run straight down the drive and hugged me, sobbing into my shirt.

I mean I tried, I _really_ tried to get her to tell me what was wrong, she just kept claiming she couldn't, and then she would just cry more.

Eventually she got near to hysterical, so I carried her to bed. She lay down against my chest sobbing, until I told her that she needed to calm down for the baby.

The turnaround in her emotions then was almost miraculous, and apart from crying quietly and apologising over and over again, she drifted off to sleep, her hands balled into fists on my chests. I stroked her hair and tucked her in before kissing her forehead and her stomach gently ad whispering that I loved her.

I then went downstairs, said goodnight to Charlie and let her know of his daughter current state, asleep, and then reluctantly went home.

So that was why I was trudging up the path to Bella's, not very happy at all. She opened the door for me before I even made it past the front of Charlie's cruiser.

I did a quick physical assessment as she closed the door and shouted bye to her father over her shoulder. She looked fine, and from her face I could see that she _hadn't_ been crying this morning. In fact, she looked far more rested than I was.

She smiled and walked over to me, although her face turned to a frown when she saw the dark rings under my eyes and the pale complexion on my already near to alabaster skin.

I leant down to kiss her good morning and she received it well, until we pulled apart and she cupped my face in her hands, forcing me to look at her while she glared me over.

"Bella..." I started in my less than well reheard defence before she cut me off.

"Did you get _any_ sleep last night?" She demanded.

I sighed and wrapped her arms around my waist, my own falling to her hips, "Not really."

She looked down, "I'm sorry about last night."

I ducked my head so she had to look into my eyes, "I just wish you would tell me what was wrong."

She spoke quietly, "Jacob."

My eyes narrowed, "what?"

She opened her mouth to speak when she was cut off by a less than appealing voice.

"She was thinking about me weren't you Bells?"

I turned to see Jacob walking down the drive towards me. I immediately frowned and Bella wrapped both arms around my middle, pressing herself as tight to me away from him as she could get.

My eyes darted from him to her a couple of times before they snapped back to him.

Indeed, maybe Jacob was right, she had been thinking of him, but as I looked at the frightened and anxious expression of her face, I knew it hadn't been in a good way.

"Well Well Edward... someone's been sowing the seed haven't they?" He chuckled and made to tower over me, and frowned when he realised he fell at least half a foot shorter than me.

I was more than positive that my left eye twitched, "What?"

He laughed and looked to Bella and then back at me, "You do know right, that's she's carrying your bastard Child."

I lunged for him when Bella caught my arm and tugged me backwards.

"Edward don't... please..." She whispered and I glanced down at her to see tears in her eyes.

I swallowed and straightened up, wrapping one arm around her waist before leading her past Jacob to my Volvo. I held her door open for her and smiled slightly.

Her eyes drifted between me and Jacob before she smiled to, and I shut her door gently. I walked around to my side and opened the door to see Jacob glaring at me.

"She'll leave you, you know that?" he called and my eyes snapped up.

A grin spread across his face, "She doesn't love you."

My eyes narrowed, "I don't see her on your arm or carrying _your_ child, though _do_ you Jacob?" I snapped and climbed in the car.

I hit the accelerator and left him stood by himself on Charlie's drive in a cloud of dust and my exhaust fumes. Bella reached to take my hand and gave it a small squeeze.

"Thank you." She whispered.

I smiled at her, "Its alright my love."


	18. Packing

**(CHAPTER PICTURES ON PROFILE, CHECK THEM OUT! R&R!)**

**August 9****th**** 2010**

What could I say about working the night shift in Forks General A&E.

Good points were that I got to be at home during the day with my two favourite girls. Bad points, we couldn't really _do _anything or _go _anywhere, because Bella was pregnant and I was on a totally different body clock. Aside from this, the whole set-up was really rather glorious.

I walked up the stairs of our house and looked around Emma's door. She was still asleep, and I hoped her mother would be, after all it was only eight o clock, and they both could benefit from a lie in.

I walked into our bedroom to see Bella sat up in bed reading, she grinned when she saw me.

"Heya." She whispered and I beamed, walking over to kiss her, sitting down on the edge of the bed facing her, our lips touching gently.

"Good morning." I whispered.

She smiled and I rubbed her stomach with my other hand and she looked down at my other, which was holding a paper bag.

"What's that?" She asked.

I smiled and lifted it up, "I brought you breakfast."

She beamed and all but ripped it from me. I chuckled as she opened it and took a large bite of the muffin I had purchased.

After all she was five months pregnant, so I couldn't really blame her for being hungry, nowadays there wasn't really a point where she _wasn't_ hungry, but it was still nice to see her eat. Happily and not suffer from morning sickness.

I didn't however, smile when a look of revulsion swept over her face and she put the muffins firmly back in the bag.

"What's the matter?" I asked, and a list of things ran though my brain, food poisoning, was she going to be sick, morning sickness.

She glared at me, A _savoury muffin_?" She demanded.

I blinked and her face just got more and more livid, "There is enough disappointment in the world Edward without _that_." She snapped and shoved the bag back at me, muffin crumbs hitting my face from the top of it.

"A _Savoury_ Muffin." She muttered and rolled onto her side away from me. I frowned and rubbed her side, kissing her neck.

"Sweetheart I'm sorry." I whispered.

I pulled back when I heard her sniffing, "What's wrong Bella?"

She swallowed, "I'm sorry."

"Oh hey... hey come on." I whispered and lay down behind her, spooning into her back and kissing her neck gently.

"It's okay my love." I breathed, "Really."

She turned her head slightly to look at me, "Really?"

I nodded, "yeh."

She smiled and I lay down beside her, wondering where exactly my plan for breakfast in bed had gone down crap avenue alongside its friend general cock-up.

Of course, in recent years I had taken coming home to my wife of an evening or morning and lying with her in my arms in our bed for granted. It was just something, one of the luxurious I got to enjoy.

Although of course, it hadn't always been like that.

**September 8th 2005**

"There... all done." I said and wrapped the tape around the last box. I then sat back on the end of the bed and ran a hand through my already messy hair. I looked around the room, most of Bella's stuff, well all of it was packed in cardboard boxes that were labelled and taped around the room.

I sighed, smiling and looking down at my hands. I was more than looking forward to having her share my bed every night, officially under the same roof as a couple.

I turned my head to the side to see her walk in the room, her hands on the bottom of her back supporting her spine. I frowned, she had been having trouble with her back since her stomach had started growing, and Carlisle had voiced his concerns privately to me about how much weight she had to gain in such a short amount of time.

So, under my careful watch, Bella had been eating three meals a day, large enough to keep two adults alive. She often complained and shouted at me for it, but I just ignored her and carried on as we were, and I think it was earning me some serious brownie points with her father.

"Heya love." I smiled and she sat down on the bed beside me, before meeting my gaze and groaning, and giving in to lie down more comfortably on the bed.

I smiled and lay beside her, popped up on one elbow, my head resting in the corresponding palm, the other hand rubbing her stomach gently.

She sighed and rested her hands by her head, closing her eyes and smiling slightly.

"Thank you." She whispered.

I was confused, "What for?"

She opened her eyes and reached up to touch my cheek, "For helping me pack all this stuff up."

I thought that the answer it that would have been blindingly obvious, "Well I wasn't about to let _you_ do it, imagine the trouble you could get yourself into with _cardboard_." I teased and she pouted.

I grinned and kissed her protruding bottom lip.

"You know I love you." I whispered.

She beamed, "I know you do."

We both looked up to the sound of heavy footsteps reaching the doorway. Charlie leant against he door and sighed, shaking his head.

"What?" Bella asked and I stiffened, praying he didn't have his gun behind his back.

Charlie sighed, smiling slightly, "It annoys me how comfortable I am with you being in the same bed."

"We aren't _in_ it." I defended quickly and Charlie chuckled.

"And it's not like you don't _know_ we haven't shared one before." She stressed and looked at where my hand rested on her stomach pointedly.

He shrugged and stood upright, "Your mum phoned Edward. She said that we are all going over there for dinner tonight." He told us.

I nodded and so did Bella, he then smiled and went off back downstairs. Bella smiled and touched my cheek.

"We'll be okay wont we?" She asked quietly.

I leant up more, "What does that mean?" I couldn't help the frown that was forming on my face.

She sighed, "Nothing I just... I don't want to do this alone."

I leant down to let my breath wash over her face, "You won't have to."

She smiled slightly and I kissed her cheek and then her stomach, she giggled as my eyes travelled back up her body to meet hers.

"I will _always_ look after you." I whispered, "And I will _never_ stop loving you."

She smiled and locked her hands in my hair, a welcome invitation clearly set upon her lips.


	19. Fine

**Heya guys thanks so much for reviewing. Again there are pictures alongside this chapter, which are on my profile, please check them out! CatherineDoncaster1995 xx**

**August 11****th**** 2011**

**Bella POV (Just for a change.)**

"Come on love you know it's necessary." His voice floated down the phone towards me and I frowned, and although he couldn't see, I knew he knew what I was doing.

"Bella." He said firmly and I groaned, scrubbing the plate I was washing even harder, the phone trapped between my ear and my shoulder.

"Edward I'm _fine_." I stressed and he sighed, the background noise at his end making it hard to hear parts of what he was saying.

"They just need to know that you are okay after the accident, it's just a sonogram." He continued and I slammed the bowl down on the draining board, reaching for another.

"Back to my previous comment, I am _fine_." I snapped and Edward sighed again.

"Please Bella; it's as much for the baby as it is for you." He reminded me.

I sighed, although this time it was more out of defeat than frustration, "Okay."

It wasn't hard to imagine him smiling down the other end, "Thank you sweetheart. I'll take you into work with me and mum said that she would bring you home again, she can have Emma during the time your with me." He told me.

I frowned, "You _knew_ I'd cave didn't you?"

His smile audibly got wider, "You're just predictable my love."

I groaned again and he chuckled, "It's just for a sonogram, there won't be anything wrong with either of you, it's just for peace of mind."

"On whose part?" I cut him off.

He sighed, "Mine and Dr Grenedy."

I frowned harder, "Fine. We are having something special for tea." I informed him, "Don't be late."

"I'm leaving as soon as I get off of the phone, and what's with the special meal?" He chuckled "You're not pregnant are you?"

"Ha ha." I said sarcastically, he laughed and I did to.

"Your mother and father will be joining us as well as Charlie so you need to be _presentable_." I stressed and he groaned.

"yes okay." He moaned and then spoke for sternly, as if he was telling me a basic fact.

"I love you." He whispered.

I smiled, "I love you to Edward."

"Good." He said, "See you in twenty minutes."

"Okay then." I grinned, "Bye..."

I hung up and put the phone on the side just as Emma came back in, carrying the post. She sat at the table and sorted it into two piles, one for me and one for Edward. I smiled at her, this was something she had done with Edward even since she was very small. As he had done it, it had been his job, right up until he started working at the hospital when she was nearly two.

"What you got there Em?" I asked when she look at a particular piece of post intently.

"Its a letter from Grandma Renee." She said softly.

I smiled and dried my hand, moving to sit beside her, wrapping my arm over her shoulders a she read it, slowly, yet clearly and correctly.

"To my favourite family." She started, "I hope you are all feeling very well, and Edward I hope you are still working hard and looking after your two girls, as you might have a new one in a few months, and Bella I hope you are letting him look after you." Emma looked at me for help on the next bit so I read it for her, speaking as slowly as she had.

"I am writing because I and Phil are looking to visit within in New Year, and want the chance to see you before the new baby arrives. Anyway Phil is doing great as am I, feeling as young as ever, only wish the wrinkles would fade... anyway! I will ring soon; hope you are all okay... I already said that... oh well... love you all, and Emma, make sure your mum and dad look after themselves and keep spoiling you rotten, especially daddy. Love you all, Renee."

I finished speaking just as the front door shut, Edward declaring he was home.

Emma launched herself off of the chair and jumped into Edwards arms, him looking at the letter she was reading to him, smiling and stroking her hair as she did so.

Suddenly I didn't have it in me to stand up again, so I remained seated, smiling up at him as he walked into the kitchen, setting Emma down and kissing me gently.

"And how are you?" He asked.

I blushed at his obvious flirt, "We only spoke twenty minutes ago."

He grinned, "That's too long."

I rolled my eyes and told him to sit down, he did so, and I beamed at him.

"What?" He asked, more than confused.

I pushed the letter I had received towards him, he read it and smiled, leaning forwards to kiss me again.

"Well done my love." He whispered.

I smiled and looked down at the letter with the emblem in the top right hand side.

Me, a headmistress, a _principal_ of a school. I grinned, Edward telling me that I needed to phone my mother.

I sighed but smiled, "Tomorrow when we get back from the hospital, I can't be bothered now."

He smiled and rubbed my stomach gently, my hand covering his, "Have they been keeping you up today."

I gave him a look, "I haven't exactly been able to sleep during the day Edward, Emma needs looking after."

He frowned, "I told you my mum could..."

"No Edward." I said firmly, "We managed when she was tiny by ourselves, why should this time be any different."

He looked at me sternly, "because it _is_ different my love."

I sighed and the doorbell rang, Emma running fast to answer it. I smiled at how quickly she could move, she took after her father for the athletic genes, I had _none_.

I glanced to Edward, who was looking at her as well. My eyes dipped down to where the small scar appeared from under his shirt collar.

I swallowed, thinking back to how he had got it, the events had been, some of the most frightening of my life.

**A/N Heya guys, flashback in the next chapter! R&R Please! xx**


	20. Crash and Burn

**September 13****th**** 2005**

**Bella POV**

I glared at Edward as he climbed out of the Volvo and walked around to my side, grinning like the idiot he was. He opened my door and stood holing it with one hand, the other outstretched.

I sat staring, well glaring at him with my arms folded over my chest, looking intently at him, every fibre of me displaying the emotion of pissed.

He sighed, "Why can't you just humour me?" He asked.

"Why can't you just accept the fact that I _hate_... yes _hate_ my birthday?" I snapped.

Once again he sighed, not looking at all hopeful, "_Please_?"

I frowned, "Do I have to enjoy it?"

"No." He said, "But I'm sure you'll pretend to anyway, you wouldn't want to upset my mother."

I groaned, that was his subtle way of informing me that there were going to be presents.

"Fine." I muttered and climbed out of the car, straightening the skirt of my dress that I had been forced into. More to the point, Edward had bought it for me, so I kind of _had_ to wear it.

He caught my hands and kissed both my knuckles, looking at me and smiling.

"You look beautiful my love." He whispered and I blushed, looking down as he wrapped his arm around my waist and lead me up towards his house.

To be honest I had no idea why I was even surprised. _Every _year Edward enlisted his mother, who also had an annoying yet sweet obsession for celebrating me, to throw a birthday party.

With me being pregnant I thought wrongly that Edward would want to avoid the stress it would cause my by throwing one, so it wouldn't happen.

However when I had been informed we were spending the night at Charlie's, after living with Carlisle and Esme for nearly a month and a half, I knew that my suspicions had been ungrounded.

I grumbled as he opened the door and lead us inside, and I surpassed the urge to scream when I spotted the decorations that hung around the living room, and I seriously thought I was going to groan when everyone shouted surprise.

I eyed the cake and presents, wanting them to catch fire more than anything. Edward chuckled at my expression and kissed the top of my head.

Alice and Rose awed and the former had the guts to point at my stomach. I groaned and put both my hands on it, trying to cover it up.

Edward moved behind me and pulled my hands to my sides, locking them in his whilst kissing my neck.

"Don't you dare?" He warned me and I blushed. Alice and Rose put their hands on my swollen stomach, which had immerged during the last week or so.

There was a knock at the door soon after everyone had showed me happy birthday, and we were about to open presents, when Edward went to answer it.

He pulled it open and smiled at my father, who was sheltering from the rain. Edward gestured for him to come in but Charlie pointed out to the yard.

"Can you move your car up son, I don't like to leave two in front of the drive, incase either of us needs to leave in a hurry."

Edward nodded and went outside, which left me abandoned to open presents. I managed to act happy for a few seconds before there was the shout of a horn from outside, the squeal of breaks, and the sound of crunching metal.

I shot up and raced with Alice and everyone else outside, me feeling like my head was going to explode at what I laid eyes on.

A pickup truck was crunched head on against Edwards Volvo, the man from it holding his head; Edward however, was slumped back in his seat, and wasn't moving.

I moved the fastest I ever had across the yard, everyone shouting after me as I did so. I yanked open the door and started to cry and scream at what I saw.

Edward had his head tilted back, there was blood pumping form his neck and his stomach, there was a lot of glass from the broken wind shield, and the air bag hadn't gone off.

Carlisle gently but firmly pulled me out of the way and into Charlie's awaiting arms, who restrained me while I tried to rush again to see What Carlisle was doing to Edward.

Jasper hung up from the phone and told us all the ambulance was coming.

It was the longest four minutes of my life. But when they arrived, I was finally released and watched while they pulled him from the car and laid him out on a stretcher. Edward groaned and tears leaked from his eyes as they laid him straight.

"Bella." He groaned, his eyes cracking open slightly.

I crouched down beside him and wanted to touch him, but knew it was for the best.

"Your alright Edward I'm here." I whispered.

The paramedic looked at me anxiously, "were you in the car miss?"

I shook my head, "No there was just him." My eyes tore away from Edward reluctantly, "What about the other man."

The other paramedic spoke, "He's just got a small head injury, he'll be fine."

I swallowed and looked back down at Edward, "Can I come with him?"

The paramedic nodded, "Only you."

I nodded and stood up, following quickly. Carlisle told me that he would meet us at the hospital, I nodded and sat down in the ambulance beside the paramedic, holding Edwards hand gently.

He looked at me through half closed eyes, "Are you okay?"

I sniffed and nodded, "I'm fine, what about you?"  
>He tried to shrug but groaned, then coughed and moaned. The paramedic checked his drip and sighed, "You're banged up pretty bad son, but you're going to be okay."<p>

Edwards eyes flickered to mine, "I know."

I sniffed and looked down at my lap.

"Hey... hey don't cry." Edward whispered and squeezed my hand feebly. I looked up and met his anxious eyes before swallowing.

"Please don't leave me." I whispered, knowing I sound pathetic.

Edward looked at me seriously, "I never will, no matter what happens, I will _always_ be with you, forever."

**A/N Like? Love? Hate so much you want to cry? Let me know, R&R THANKS FOR READING! **


	21. ECV Emotional Cullen Vindicated

**August 11****th**** 2011**

**Bella POV**

I turned away from the oven to be met instantly by Edward, who took my elbow and steered me in the direction of the living room where we had been previously been sitting with his parents before I had gone to check on dinner.

I frowned at him as he pointed in the direction it seemed we had _both_ come, "Go and sit down."

My brows furrowed harder and he pouted, "Please?"

I smirked at him before turning and walking back into the lounge.

Esme smiled sympathetically at me as I gently lowered myself back onto the large amount of cushions that had been set in my usual place on the sofa. My back was killing me, and it hurt pretty much all the time.

Carlisle glanced in the direction of the kitchen before he spoke quietly, "Had it been bothering you a lot?"

I to glanced over my shoulder in the direction of the kitchen, as it was imperative that Edward didn't over hear this conversation, "It's mainly at night when I'm stuck on my side sleeping, or if I've been on my feet all day."

Carlisle nodded and Esme smiled at me, "Have you thought anymore about when you'll be leaving work?"

I sighed and rested my hand in my palm, elbow on the arm of the sofa, "After just getting the principal job I'd like to carry on ideally to full term, but with my experiences with Emma, and with _him_ on my case every five minute it's know it's unlikely I'll be working past the end of September."

Esme sighed and nodded, "It's probably for the best dear, and you did struggle towards the end of it with Emma."

I swallowed slightly, "Yeh I know."

**May 11****th**** 2005**

**Edward POV**

I sat on the edge of the hospital bed facing Bella who was laying on her back, holding my hand tightly in hers, her other by her head. I stroked her forehead gently and her eyes flashed to mine.

"It's going to be okay." I whispered and I saw tears pool in the base of her vision.

"Hey... hey shush." I breathed and kissed her forehead gently, "Relax sweetheart it will all be fine."

She swallowed, "But what if its not."

"It _will_ be." I said firmly, "Regardless of whether the ECV works or not you and the bay will still be fine."

At our last scan we had been told that the baby was in the breech position, in other words, it was the wrong way up. We had been offered the ECV procedure due to Bella's age and the fact that the baby was showing no signs of distress, this basically involves a doctor moving he baby round to the correct position physically, by manipulating the muscles and sac surrounding the baby.

Since arriving at the hospital for the procedure, Bella had been given an injection to calm and relax her, which had been an ordeal in itself due to her dislike of needles.

She had also been strapped to a heart monitor for twenty minutes, and receives a sonogram.

It came to my attention as we due closer to the actual procedure, that Bella had just got herself more and more anxious.

The door to our small room opened and my father walked in, shadowed by a nurse. He smiled encouragingly at Bella and myself, and I think it helped both and and her in knowing that he would be perfuming it.

He smiled at us, "So how are you doing Bella?"

She sighed slightly, "Nervous."

I kissed her knuckles and my father smiled encouragingly once more, "it will be fine, Edward will be with you all the way through it, and it should be over quiet quickly."

Bella swallowed and nodded and the nurse rolled up Bella's shirt. I got off the bed and Bella glanced at me before looking back at my father.

"So Bella basically what we do is we guide the babies legs out of the pelvis and then turn it and replace the head in the Pelvis." He told us, "It should be painless, but there might be some pressure at the start and at the end okay... now given the size of the baby it might take a bit of getting sued to, but there are o serious risks."

Both I and Bella nodded and he smiled, pouring Jelly onto Bella's stomach and washing his hands. He then placed his hands on the bottom of her stomach, and pushed slightly.

Bella turned her head towards me and shut her eyes.

I stroked her forehead soothingly and her eyes flickered open to look at mine. I smiled and she did slightly to.

I suppose men watched what the doctor was doing during the procedure, but my eyes stayed fixed on Bella's face, watching for any signs of discomfort.

They quickly came and my father through her an apologetic glance.

"Sorry Bella just bear with me." He said and she let off a small moan.

He then shifted his hands quickly to the other side of her stomach ad pushed a little.

Again Bella whimpered and I threw him an anxious glance. He looked at me and smiled slightly, Bella them gasped and his hands gently left her stomach.

"There you go sweetheart." He said and put the ultra sound probe on her stomach, moving it around so we could see that the baby's head was firmly in her pelvis.

I kissed her forehead and she smiled at me, squeezing my hand, "I love you." She whispered.

"Love you to." I whispered and she smiled, and we both looked back at our baby on the screen.

**August 11****th**** 2011**

"I don't have to be psychic to know that you are talking about me." Edward said as he walked back into the lounge. I sighed but Emma didn't look up from what she was doing, Carlisle and Esme both frowned.

"I was just asking Bella how long she planned on working for, it seems she's looking at it with the ideal amount of level headedness." My mother in law scolded her son.

Edward frowned, "She shouldn't be working in her condition."

I raised my eyebrows in surprises, "_she_ can still hear you."

He sighed and leant back in the sofa as he sat next to me, wrapping his arm over my shoulders. I sighed and leant into his side, letting him kiss my hair and stroke my stomach.

Carlisle moved on in an attempt to change the subject, "so what are we thinking, a boy or a girl this time?"

Edward smiled, "Well since I was right last time I'm thinking boy."

I kissed his cheek, "I still say girl."

Esme smiled, "Whatever it is they'll be beautiful."

Edward pulled me further into his side and kissed my temple, whispering against my hair.

"Just like their mother."


	22. Fight

**August 19****th**** 2011**

**Edward POV**

I heard Bella moan next to me and she rested her head back on my chest, wrapping her arm over my waist as she did so. I rubbed her back and kissed the top of her head, the morning light leaking in through the curtains.

"Do you have to go to work today?" She complained quietly.

I sighed, "Yes love, but I'll be back in time for Dinner."

She sighed and snuggled tighter into my side, "okay."

I stroked her shoulder, "you take it easy today okay... you weren't well last night." I reminded her.

She moaned and rolled away from me, with some difficulty as her large stomach got in the way. I rubbed her shoulder and kissed under her ear.

"I love you." I whispered.

"I know." She sighed and I bent my head to kiss the side of her stomach.

"I love you to." I breathed.

Bella smiled slightly although her eyes were shut, "I love you to."

I kissed her temple again and got out of bed, showering and dressing as quickly as I could, with the hopes of getting there early in order to leave earlier than usual.

I stuck my head around Emma's door to see her still asleep. I smiled; she slept nearly as much as her mother.

The drive to work was more or less uneventful, as was the morning shift. There were few interesting or dramatic cases, as I saw mostly small patients who had temperatures and worried parents.

So basically by the time I was in the car and on my way home again, I was left with the feeling that I hadn't really achieved much.

I was just climbing out of the car when my cell phone rang; I looked at the caller ID, and sighed upon answering it.

"Alice what is it?" I muttered.

"_What is it?"_ She screamed, "You don't even say _hello _anymore, just you ait to till Bella hears about this Edward, I mean come n I'm your younger sister, your _only_ sister actually, and you don't even say _hi_ when you speak to me?" My sister shouted.

I rubbed my forehead with my other hand, "Don't bother Bella with this crap, she won't care."

"Of course she sill, I'm her best friend." Alice yelled, I was about to tune out her shouts when she screamed something at me that made my eyes snap open, and my throat go dry.

"You know Edward this is why she came to me before you when she got pregnant with Emma, I mean Jesus _I_ was the one who sat with her in the doctors and went with her to buy the test, of course she'll _care_ when she find out that you..."

"_You_ knew before I did." I whispered.

There was an eerie pause on the other end of the line, and all Alice could think of to say was "Er..."

"She went to _you."_ I breathed, feeling my heart rate increase dramatically.

"Edward..."

I slammed the phone shut and threw it in my bag before locking the car and walking towards the house. My legs were slightly shaky as I shut the door behind me and locked the car, the overwhelming feeling of hurt and betrayal coursing through my veins.

"Edward?" Bella called and I looked up to see her walk out of the kitchen, drying her hands on a towel.

"What are you doing home this early, Emma's not even back from her friends yet...?" Then she saw my face.

"Edward?" She whispered.

I swallowed and turned to look at her fully, her eyes widening slightly when she saw what I imagined was my pale face.

"Is it true?" I managed to choke out.

Bella's face was confused, "Is what true?"

"That you went to Alice before you went to me." I said firmly.

My wife's eyes narrowed, "What?"

"Is it true?" I demanded, "Is it _true_ that you went to Alice and told her about being pregnant with Emma before you even _told_ me?"

There was silence as she froze, she then looked down at her hands, and spoke so quietly that I was frightened to have misunderstood, but from looking at her face, particularly her eyes, I knew that my hearing had been correct, "Yes."

I swallowed, "Why?"

He eyes snapped up, "_Why_? Because I was _scared_ to tell you, I was _eighteen_ Edward!" She shouted.

I did not flinch, or move or react, I was hurt, and she needed to know it.

Against my better judgment I was willing to stand there and brush her off as she walked over to me, reaching p to cup my cheeks before being pushed away gently by me.

I walked away from her and stood running my hands through my hair as she stared at my back.

"When were you going to tell me?" I whispered and turned around, finding her with her hands-on her stomach looking at me with teary eyes.

The answer was plain in her face.

My own tears threatened to leak over the edge, "You weren't were you?"

It was a moment before she shook her head, and I heard my world crash around me before i could answer.

"Fine." I whispered and walked past her, grabbing my car keys and opening the door.  
>"Edward please..." She sobbed and grabbed my arm. I pulled my arm free and pushed her almost roughly back into the house.<p>

I stormed to the car, slamming the door after me as she stood crying on the doorstep.

For once in my life though, I knew that it wouldn't help anything to turn around immediately.

We were both hurt, and apologising wouldn't change what I felt, nothing would.


	23. Blinded by the Light

**September 15****th**** 2005**

**Edward POV (Post Accident)**

My eyes pulled back slightly, only to be met by blinding white light. I shut them again almost immediately, and when I let out a breath, my body relax, causing pain, and me to groan.

"Edward?" A low voice said from somewhere beside me.

I opened my eyes slightly again and coughed looking through the blurry water at a person wearing black, I knew that much, "Bella?"

What a stupid question, of course it wasn't Bella. I knew it was a man, but whoever they were, if they weren't Bella, which they _weren't_, they could tell me where she was.

"Son are you awake?"

There was only one person who called me that.

"Charlie?" My eyes peeled back all the way and I blinked a couple of times, lifting my head to try and see him clearer, to try and clear the fuzziness in my head.

I spluttered out a moan when my neck bent and if sunk back into the pillows, feeling like my entire body was made of lead.

Charlie's hand pushed me back down flat, "Don't try and move or speak, Doc says your banged up pretty bad."

This put my senses on red alert and my eye snapped back open, "Bella..." It hurt to speak, and it made me short of breath, "Bella, where's Bella..."

"She wasn't in the car, she's okay son don't worry." He told me gently.

I swallowed and did what I thought was a nod, although I couldn't be sure, I was amazed I remembered my own name I felt that confused.

Charlie let out a relieved breath, "I'm glad you're awake, you gave us all a scare."

I swallowed, closing my eyes a little but more because it was a strain to keep them open, "How bad am I..." I wheezed.

Charlie sighed, "You've broken your left arm, a couple of ribs and you've lost a lot of blood. They gave you some transfusions' to sort that out, but you've been kept sedated for a few days, and you've cracked your skull."

I leant back further into the pillows and winced, "How long have I been asleep?"

In some respects, I felt like I'd been awake forever, when apparently, I'd been asleep for days.

Charlie sighed, "Two weeks solidly, although yesterday you were drifting in and out, you kept talking."

I froze, I had been asleep that long, "What did I say?"

Charlie chuckled, "Nothing bad, you just spoke Bella's name most of the time, you were also running a fever, so they gave you something in your IV, that hyped you up for a little bit, but you calmed down after a while."

The blank expression on my face made Charlie ask a different question.

"Do you remember much of the accident, do you remember what happened?"

I shook my head, which hurt quite bit. I let out a stuttering breath through my teeth as I tried not to moan, I didn't want to appear weak.

Charlie patted my shoulder, "Okay then. Renee came down as well you know; we've all been here waiting."

I swallowed, "how's Bella?"

Even though I knew she had not been hurt physically, I wanted to know what strain this had put her under, waiting for my consciousness to return to me.

Charlie sighed, "She wouldn't leave, and it was your mother who finally got her to go home and eat something proper."

I tried so very hard not to frown, but knew I was failing miserably.

"She cried all the time and just wanted to be here, but when Renée came down she and your mother," He laughed as if the was remembering something, "As well as your sister and sister in law kept her busy with stuff for the baby, shopping and things."

I chuckled weakly and let my head roll slightly, "I bet she loved that."

I was slipping, I could feel it, it hurt to move hurt to speak, and I just wanted to sleep, I wanted to see her, wanted to see for myself that she was okay.

"I'll go get Bella for you, she's just down the hall with Alice." Charlie told me and I could only moan in response.

He stood and I sore I heard him mutter, "Get a nurse as well, poor kids in a lot of pain."

I wasn't really with it at all when Bella entered the rom. I couldn't really see, my eyes were only slightly open and even then were made blurry by tears.

I could see that she was accompanied by a doctor, and I felt her take my hand, giving it a gently squeeze.

"Bella..." I was struggling to pronounce her name clearly, if at all.

"I'm here." She whispered and kissed my forehead.

I coughed and groaned and she hushed me before straightening up a little, "Is he in a lot of pain?"

A voice I did not recognise sighed, "It's hard to say."

Bella's lips were at my ear again, "its okay Edward, I'm right here."

I swallowed, and the only thing I could manage to get to form even slightly coherently on my lips was her name... _again_.

She stroked my forehead, "I'm here."


	24. MIA Missing in Action

**August 20****th**** 2011**

**Bella POV**

I rushed up the steps to the school, only pulling up there because Emmet had said that Rose was here waiting for a parcel. I signed in quickly, more out of habit than necessity and pushed open the door to her office.

She looked up at me smiling, "I saw your car..."

I swallowed, trying to smile, "Have you seen Edward?"

She shook her head, "No I haven't..." She trailed off when she saw my face change, the sleep deprived rings under my eyes and teary eyes making me look slightly off of the rails.

It was also very obvious, that something was _very_ wrong.

She stood up and walked over to me, "What's wrong?"

I swallowed, "He knows, Alice _told_ him that she knew about Emma before he did." I was incredibly close to tears.

Rose led me gently to sit down in a chair and sat down in the one next to mine, so we were facing slightly towards one another.

She took both my hands, "What's all this for huh? You know he'll forgive you..."

"He won't." My voice was painfully certain.

"Why, what did he say?" She asked anxiously.

I _was_ crying now, "He was so upset Rose... you didn't see his face... he was heartbroken, so _hurt_." My words choked me and I sobbed into my hands.

She rubbed my back gently and let me talk, knowing I needed her to listen, not judge me.

"If I had told him sooner..." I trailed off, fiddling with my wedding ring.

"He would still have acted like this." She said gently, and I knew she was right.

I let out a small sob, "I don't know where he is, he's not answering his phone and no one has seen him... Carlisle said he wasn't at the hospital last night..."

Rose sighed, "Do you want me to talk to Alice?"

I nodded, "Please."

She pulled me into a hug, "okay."

When we pulled apart she took my hands and placed them on my stomach, "Right now what you need to do is go home, pick Emma up from Angela's and put your feet up, all this stress isn't good for you."

I nodded, "Thank you."

She narrowed her eyes, "For what?"

I shrugged, "being there for me."

She rolled her eyes, "What kind of bridesmaid would I be if I didn't hold your hand through the hard parts."

I swallowed, "You don't have hard parts like this."

She rolled her eyes again, "You forget who I'm married to."

I laughed tearfully, thinking of Emmet, the permanently teenage high school baseball, soccer, football and general sport coach.

She stood up and grabbed her bag, "Come on, I'll drive you home."

I frowned, "What about the car?"

She shrugged, "Get brains to collect it when he returns."

I stiffened at her nickname for Edward, "You really think he'll come back." I whispered.

She smiled, "Of course, even he's not that much of an idiot, besides if he knows what's good for him, he won't hide for more than a day, he knows Esme will kill him."

I laughed, she made it all seem so easy, "Thank you Rose, _again_."

She pulled me towards the door, "I haven't done anything, again."

We ended up going to the mall, which although it was my idea of _hell_, I enjoyed a little bit.

Emma had fun simply looking in all of the hops, and I was glad for Roses company, as she was the only one out of the two of us who had breath to answer Emma when she asked where her daddy was.

"He's working sweetheart, you'll probably see him later." She said.

Emma took this as an answer, and I was glad, as I was in no fit shape to come up with answers to appease her.

**Edward POV**

It was gone ten o clock in the evening when I finally plucked up the courage to return home. I walked up the porch steps quietly, praying to god that she would forgive me, because although I had been hurt, and blinded by it... I couldn't make excuses for the way I had been towards her when I had stormed out.

She was my pregnant wife, the person who supported me through everything. I had no right to act like I hated her, because I _didn't_, and I never would.

The house was dark and I knew that every occupant would be asleep hopefully.

I swallowed and slipped into our room after a mental debate on whether I deserved to sleep there, and whether it would be more appropriate for me to sleep on the couch.

She was on her side facing away from me, and as I reached to unbutton my shirt, I realised that she wasn't asleep.

Her body quivered with sobs and I immediately rushed forward, although I slowed down so not as to disturb her.

"Edward?" Her soft voice travelled towards me in the darkness.

"Shh...I'm here sweetheart." I whispered as I crawled into bed, still fully dressed, beside her and wrapped my arms around her.

Bella turned over and hid her face in my chest, her small frame shaking, "I'm so sorry." She sobbed, "I shouldn't have kept it from you."

"Shh... it's not your fault..." I soothed desperately and stroked her damp cheeks, "Its mine, all mine, I should never have shouted at you like that."

"I don't regret doing it." She choked out, and her brutal honesty cut me deep, but I didn't flinch, because as much as I didn't want to, I understood why she had done it.

"I don't expect you to." I replied.

She swallowed, "I just didn't want to lose you." She whispered.

I was about to respond when she cut me off, "If I hadn't been pregnant and the test had been faulty I knew that you would probably never have touched me again. The risk would have been there in your mind as well as it was in mine... I couldn't bare you to leave me over a mistake, and even when I knew that I _was_ pregnant, I wanted no one more than you right beside me... but I just..." She trailed off and I kissed her forehead.

"I understand Bella, truly I do." I sighed, "I guess I was just hurt over the way I found out, the way Alice said it."

Bella swallowed, "Rose said that she would speak to Alice."

I could only nod in response.

She rested her head back against my still clothed shoulder and I kicked off my socks under the covers, pushing them out from under the duvet with yam fleet.

I shimmed out of my jeans and pulled my shirt off of my chest.

Bella placed my hand on her stomach and I kissed the top of her head.

"Where were you yesterday?" She asked quietly, her voice heavy with sleep.

I closed my eyes, "Your father was kind enough to put me up for the night."

She yawned, "Okay."

I pressed my lips to her ear, "I love you."

She let out a contented smile that made my heart melt, "I love you to Edward, through the good and bad."

"Forever." I echoed and fell into a much needed rest.


	25. Mind over Matter

**September 18****th**** 2005**

**Edward POV (Post Accident, 3 Days later)**

I drifted in and out of consciousness for the remainder of the day, but eventually I was staying awake for longer periods of time, sometimes even as much as an hour. The only thing I knew was that every time I 'woke' up, someone was by my side.

My eyes peeled back slightly for the hundredth time to see Bella and her father there.

Renee was also present, and although I was pleased to see her, I didn't have the strength to share that.

I did however; feel more awake than I had done for most of my previous awakenings.

"Bella." I whispered and she kissed me gently.

"Hey handsome." She whispered.

Charlie put down his coffee, "How are you feeling son?"

I shrugged, which dint hurt surprisingly, "Fine I think, i feel the best I have done."

"Oh that's brilliant." Renee all but cheered and I mentally sighed, no wonder she and Alice got along so well.

I pushed myself to sit upright, which took more time than it would have had I allowed Bella and Charlie to help me, the latter watched form a close distance, as if ready to give support without me knowing it.

It was a Credit to Charlie rally, considering I was the guy who got his only daughter pregnant at eighteen.

I sighed and leant back into the 'cushions' on the bed and pulled Bella gently around the waist to sit next to me, leaning into my non bandaged shoulder, me resting my hand from around her waist on her stomach.

"Edward." She giggled when I kissed her cheek.

"Yep." I breathed, "I'm definitely feeling better."

Charlie let out an uncomfortable cough, "Less of that talk thank you."

Bella blushed fiercely and I just laughed quietly, resting my head against the top of hers.

"its nice to see you to again." Renee said in an obvious attempt to change the subject, it worked, much better than anyone could have seen.

"Yes, I probably won't get to come down again until it's time for the baby to be born." She continued.

Everyone in the rooms eyes narrowed in confusion, bar her obviously.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

Bella to, looked totally confused as to what her mother was talking about.

"Well I want to be there to see my grandchild born." She laughed as though it was blindingly obvious.

Bella's eyes widened, "You want to be _there_, as in _there _there?"

Renee just blinked, "Yes, well... who else is going to be there."

She did not seem to register my answer, which was slightly harsher than I meant it to be.

"Me." I said flatly.

Charlie turned to look at Renee, "Edward will be with her, he is the father."

Renee folded her arms and looked away from all of us, "Providing he is still around then..."

I sat up further, puling at my IV, "And what is that supposed to mean?"

Renee's head snapped around to look at me, "I know how hard it is to have a teenage pregnancy that's all, and how much support a father needs to be able to give..."

"What and you don't think I'm going to be there for her?" I demanded.

"As a matter of fact no." She replied flatly.

"Mum." Bella gasped, her face a mask of pure shock.

"Renee what are you doing?" Charlie asked, well snapped really.

She looked at him like he was mental, "Oh come _on_ Charlie, you mean you really believe they both wanted to have sex at the same time, you don't believe he forced her into it, that it is his fault and his fault only?"

"As a matter of fact _no_, I _don't_ think that." Charlie said.

Renee laughed, she actually laughed, "Then I'm just disappointed that I seem to be the only one who sees that its his fault that Bella is now some form of hor."

My temper flared like a match in a gas tap, she could say what she wanted about me, but Bella, that was dangerous territory.

I sat up so quickly that my Iv ripped out of my arm. Blood went everywhere and my arm spazzed with pain.

I groaned and slumped back, clutching my arm as blood ran through my fingers.

"Edward!" Bella shouted and my eyes clamped shut.

I heard the sound of the call button and Bella sobbing; her ads held my face and stroked my temples gently.

"It's okay Edward is okay." She cried quietly.

"What is going on here?" It was Dr Grenedy's vice, and I felt a nurse prize my fingers away and begin bandaging my wound tightly to stop the leaking skin.

"Get e out of here!" Bella yelled and I opened my eyes weakly to see Renee being lead out by someone I did not know.

Charlie pulled Bella back slightly to allow doctors to swarm around me, his hands on her shoulders, her sobbing quietly.

I would learn later that I had torn a blood vessel by ripping out the IV, which required surgery and another week in hospital.

My relationship with m mother in law was shaky for a while, but we got over it more or less around the time Emma was born.

It took her longer to make it up to Bella, not that she ever really _could _fully; it just took them longer to get back into being civil to one another. But even now, Bella refused to accept anymore apologises about it, and every time Renee brought it up, she left the room.

Renee and Charlie hadn't really got on well form that point onwards. They would be civil to one another for Emma's sake, but fortunately for everyone, it was very rare tat we were all in the same room.

Which was why when ever Renée visited, she stayed in a Hotel in Seattle as Bella refused to have her staying in the house.

It had long been my prerogative not to medal in my wife's business, and largely I felt it was my fault that she and her mother would have eternal conflict.

But I could not see that it was worth me and Bella fighting over it, so I often left it to bury itself.

Because life always went on, and nothing was ever _permanent. _


	26. Mother Daughter Bond

**Bella POV**

**August 27****th**** 2011**

I just knew that Edward was going to mention it as soon as we got in the car. Emma sat in the back playing with Edwards phone, completely oblivious to the conversation, and potential argument that was about to start.

"Bella please..." Edward started just as we pulled out of the driveway.

"Do _not_ even mention it, I swear to_ god_ if the next words out of your mouth have anything to do with my _mother or_ my _birthday_ I won't be responsible for my actions." I snapped and leant my head back in my hand where my elbow was leaning against the window.

My other hand rested lightly on my bulging stomach.

Aside from my temper, other _ugly_ side effects of pregnancy were starting to rear their heads, such as back cramp and... It was embarrassing to even think it, _constipation._

"Love she's your mother..." he started quietly.

"Edward." I snapped, turning my head quickly to glare at him, "I _said_ I don't want to talk about it okay... please." I whispered.

IN truth I hated the way my relationship with my mother was, I wanted nothing more for it to go back to how it was, like my relationship with Esme was... but honestly I couldn't forgive what she had said about Edward and my being pregnant with Emma when Edward had been in the accident.

In truth, I hated her for it, and that particular feeling, however sad I might be, wouldn't change. 

"Hey." Edwards soft voice floated over to me and his hand ran down my arm, travelling to rest over my own which was on my stomach. He took it and gave it a gentle squeeze.

I turned to see him looking anxiously out of the front windshield, his eyes firmly on the road.

"Yes?" I whispered back. His eyes darted to mine and he smiled at me sadly.

"Its okay to be sad you know, I just don't want you going through it alone."

I lifted his hand to kiss his knuckles, "I'm never sad when I'm with you Edward."

He smiled slightly, "I love you."

"I love you to Edward." I whispered.

**(!)(!)(!()!()!(!)!()!()!()!()!()!()!()!()!()!(!)(!)!()**

Edward wrapped his arm around my waist as we watched in the arrivals terminal of the airport. Emma was holding Edwards hand in both of hers and he was twirling her around like a princess. I smiled at seeing her and Edward play together, he was such an effortless and fantastic father, and I was more than positive that he would be when our next baby came along.

"Grandma Renee!"

My eyes snapped up as Emma rushed forwards, jumping into my mother's arms.

I tensed upon seeing her and Edward rubbed my back gently, leaning down to whisper in my ear.

"Easy love think of the baby."

I glanced up at him and he gave me his best stern gaze. I sighed and gave a small nod, him kissing the top of my head.

"Thank you." He whispered.

Phil appeared then, _Phil_, I had _no_ problem with.

He shook Edward hand and hugged me. My mother hugged Edward, who returned it more out of courtesy more than anything. She then reached for me, and Edward looked at me pointedly

I sighed and hugged her, although it was awkward, as I really didn't want anything to do with her, I was here for Emma, as it was important for her to know her grandmother, I wouldn't force her to not know someone like that.

Edward supported my decision and kept his own council on it, rather than shouting the odds and forcing me into a decision.

Edward took my hand as soon as I was free of my mother's grip. She stood there awkwardly while Phil hailed a cab, as far as Emma knew, there was no room in the car for Phil and Renee, even though it was really me, refusing outright that they were not to ride with us.

Because we were going to Carlisle and Esme's in the morning as Edward was working, we made up the excuse of wanting to get as much sleep as possible, which meant I said a good night to my mother, and closed the car door rather forcefully as Edward pulled away.

He took my hand and I glanced in the rear-view mirror to see Emma fast asleep, the sun setting behind the tress.

"See now, that wasn't so hard was it." He said quietly.

I swallowed and looked down at my lap, "please don't let mine and Emma's relationship turn out like that."

Edward sighed, "It doesn't have to be this way you know. You could forgive and forget."

"no Edward. "I whispered, "I can't."

I was more or less asleep when we pulled up at the house. Edward let Emma out of the car and then opened my door, he slid his arms round me and lifted me into his chest.

I wrapped my arms around his neck, "You shouldn't be able to lift a seven month pregnant women this easily." I mumbled.

He chuckled as he carried me into the lounge and laid me down gently on the sofa, sitting down on the edge facing me, "Carrying you over the threshold is part of my job description."

I giggled as he stroked my stomach and kissed my forehead. Emma bounded in and grabbed Edwards hand.

"Dance with me daddy." She exclaimed and I smiled as Edward scooped her up and carried her over to the centre of the room, where he set her gently on his feet, and held her hands as he waltzed them both properly around the room.

She giggled and he stroked her hair gently, "Daddy?"

"yes Angel?" He breathed and crouched down in front of her.

She pulled him into a hug around his neck and he laughed as she told him seriously.

"You're the best prince charming ever."

I smiled happily and stroke my stomach, everything looked bright and shiny, and I knew that as long as I had Edward, everything would be okay.


	27. Maternity Meeting

**Bella POV**

**September 5****th**** 2011**

I sighed and shoved three files towards the end of my desk, being a principal was harder than I thought it was going to be. Whether that was down to the fact that we had only been in the new term for three days or because of my condition at the time I was unsure.

I sighed as the phone on my desk rang and I reached to answer it.  
>"Hello?" I tried not to yawn.<p>

"Hey Bells." Rose said from her office that was next to mine, "Mike is here to speak to you."

I tried not to groan, "Okay, send him in."

Edward was _not_ going to be pleased if I got stressed or worked up over whatever it was that Mie had to say. Mike, like his wife was on the board of governors for the school, and he was a right royal pain... much like his wife.

In some ways I was disappointed that it wasn't Jessica who had turned up in Rose's office asking to speak to me. Their relationship was so fractious that I was certain Jessica _knew_ Rose wouldn't have let her speak to me.

Mike pushed open the door and I looked at him from my work, greeting him before glancing back down.

"Erm Hello Bella." He said and stood awkwardly in front of me.

I sighed and leant back in my seat, "Take a seat."

He nodded and eagerly sat down in front of me; I rested one hand just under my stomach, and fiddled with a pen with the other.

"Its just a small thing really, what I was coming to tell you about..." He very nearly stammered.

My eyes narrowed as he continued speaking.

"Its just that erm, with you being... you know... _pregnant_..." He said and gestured to my stomach, "I... well _we_... well Jess were just wondering, when you planned on taking maternity leave?"

I frowned, "Not yet mike. My baby isn't due for two months."

He nodded, "I know I know I just... when you give speeches in assembly, are you sure you're going to reach the lectern?" He tried to break the ice with his joke, but if anything, I just got madder.

"Are you saying you want to take the assemblies Mike, because I'm sorry but I don't know if you're going to be able to _see_ over it." I tried not to snap.

His smile faded and he looked slightly scared.

"So you're not going on maternity leave yet?" He asked quietly.

"No." My words were firm and final.

He nodded and stood, "Erm okay I'll... okay... I'll go." He said and all but ran from the rom.

I groaned and rested my elbows on the desk, my head in my hands.

The door opened again and I felt two hands rest on my shoulders, working gently to knead the knots out of my back.

I moaned and leant backwards in my chair, my head resting back on the top of it.

"Ummm that feels good." I whispered and I opened my eyes to look into to sparkling green ones.

I sighed and moved my hands to my shoulder to take both of his.

"What are you doing here?" I asked and he rested his chin on top of my head while I played with his fingers.

"I was just coming to see that you were okay, Rose phone to say that you were tired this morning." Edward told me.

I tried not to feel like Rose had snitched on me, but I knew that she had done it just to be helpful, "I'm always tired Edward."

He kissed my hair, "I know that... _and_..." He said and moved to sit on the desk facing me, handing me a brown paper bag, "I brought you some lunch."

I took the bag from him and looked inside, beaming and reaching to kiss him, "Thank you."

He chuckled and stroked my shoulder, "It makes a nice change from pop tarts."

I rolled my eyes and put the paper bag on my desk.

He touched my cheek, "What time do you finish today?"

I sighed, "I just have one more meeting, and Emma is going to play with Jo at Angela's so I'll be done about five."

He nodded, "okay I'm on till six so I'll see you at home, and I'll ring you later"

I smiled and he kissed me gently, "Try not to get stressed love, please."

"I'll try." I whispered and he kissed me again before smiling and walking out of my office.

The day slowly got worse from there on in.

"Mrs Cullen I do not want to pressure you I would just like to know when exactly you are thinking on leaving for maternity leave." Mr Volturi, the state secretary for education, asked me.

I was so _sick _of being asked this question, "Mr Volturi, please can we continue this conversation at another time. The meeting is not on my schedule and I' sure you appreciate just how busy we all are trying to meet with everyone as the new term has started."

He stood, "Fine Mrs Cullen, I will be in touch." He shook my hand and Rose showed him out.

I sighed and turned back to the other man sat in front of my desk.

Caius was the principal of a school in Seattle, and i had called a meeting with him just so I could put a name to a face.

"Right I'm sorry sir, would you mind terribly if I just went to the bathroom before we start..." He cut me off.

"You were the one that called the meeting Mrs Cullen, and now you expect me to _wait_ while you sort out a personal issue?" He demanded, and I took an instant dislike to this man. By the look on Roses face, she wasn't very keen on him either.

"With all due respect sir I am seven months pregnant." I tried but again he interrupted me.

"Then maybe this proves that everyone was right about women working while they were pregnant, with all _due respect_, Mrs Cullen."

I swallowed and felt tears prick the base of my vision, "Fine." I said firmly and reached for my folder, "Shall we start with budget quotes then."

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Rosalie answer the phone in her office while he continued to talk at me.

She glanced up to look at me and ran a hand through her hair. She paused and then nodded, looking down, there was only one person who she spoke to like that.

There was only one person who phoned to check up on me, and there as only one person she was brutally honestly with when it came to my health.

She only looked like that when Edward phoned.


	28. Lost and Found

**Edward POV**

**September 5****th**** 2011**

I slammed a patient's folder down on the main desk of the ER, "Lauren I need you to phone the school again." I told her and began rifling through the folder.

"Again?" She asked, and although our relationship wasn't exactly close, I could tell she was anxious.

I myself was definitely _past_ being anxious.

"Yes." I said firmly, "Bella isn't at home and her phone isn't on, I need you to find her and get me as soon as you do."

"No need." My father said where he was stood on the other side of the desk filling in his own paperwork. I had been searching for Bella for just under an hour and he himself had been phoning Rose and Alice, neither of whom had seen my wife.

Rosalie was still working at the school, but when I had phoned she had said Bella was in a meeting, and every other time I had phone the phone was engaged.

"Look." He said and I turned to where he had gestured with a nod of his head.

Bella walked through the ER double doors, her coat pulled around her and her face red with crying.

"Bella." I called and rushed forwards.

Her eyes locked with mine and she burst into tears, launching her body into my arms. I was slightly startled at first, but wrapped my arms soon around her.

She sobbed into my neck, "I can't do it Edward I'm not good enough." She cried.

I rubbed her back, "Not good enough at what... what has someone said to you?" I pulled back to cup her face, looking her over anxiously.

"They..." She let out a sob and shook her head, "Because I'm pregnant, all they want to know is when I'm leaving for maternity leave."

I wrapped my arms tighter around her and kissed her hair, "Shush sweetheart." I whispered, "Shush its okay, its fine."

She let out a hiccup of a sob, "I just wanted to make you proud."

"You do sweetheart." I whispered and felt my heart break as I pulled back to stroke her face and she shook her head.

"You do..." I said firmly, "Look at me."

Her teary eyes met mine and I brushed her tears away from her cheeks with my thumbs, "You're the best principal ever you got that?"

She nodded, "Can I talk to you about something?"

I nodded and pulled her to my body as I led her through the crowded rooms to my office.

"Sit down my love." I whispered and she sat in my office chair. I sat on the desk and stroked her hair off of her face.

"Thank god for that." She murmured, "I thought if I didn't get off of my feet soon my ankles were going to explode."

I tried not to frown, "You shouldn't be working so long."

She swallowed and looked up at me, "That's kind of what I wanted to talk to you about."

"Okay." I said; my tone clearly unsure of where she was going with this.

She smiled, "I think you'll like it."

"Really?"

"Yes." She said and sighed, "look I am a perfectly healthy pregnant woman right?"

"Right..." I trailed off.

"So really I could be a full time principal until the day I deliver?" She left it handing in the air.

I frowned, "You said I'd like this idea..."

"Yes juts let me finish." She said and took both my hands, and she laughed.

"But then I thought, what's the point?"

I frowned and she beamed at me, "From this moment on I am officially on maternity leave. I am going to rest, and take care of myself and our baby."

My face eliminated into a smile and I pulled her into a hug, kissing the side of her head.

"You don't know how pleased I am to hear that." I chuckled and she sighed happily.

I rubbed her back until she yawned into my neck, "I wish I could just sleep here, I don't think I have the strength to move."

I pulled back to cup her cheek and smile, "Well I don't think I have the strength to _carry_ you."

She giggled and hooked her arms around my neck as I stroked her stomach with both hands.

"I love you so much." She whispered and I rubbed my nose against hers, causing her to laugh again.

"I love you to." I breathed and her lips crashed against mine.

**FOUR HOURS LATER**

**(Still Edward POV)**

I heard Bella roll over in bed next to me and I sighed, my eyes heavy with sleep. I knew that there was nothing seriously wrong with her because she kept moving to try and get comfy.

I fought to pretend I was still asleep, and it was working, until she rolled over in bed to face my back and rubbed my shoulder.  
>"Edward?" She whispered and I sighed.<p>

"Edward?" She poked my shoulder.

I sighed, "What love?"

She moved closer to me nad stroked the back of my hair, "I can't sleep."  
>I felt like making a comment that let her know that I was already well aware of that but I kept my mouth shut.<p>

"And I'm hungry." Her voice was quiet and I felt her sit up in bed.

I groaned and rolled onto my back, rubbing my eyes with both hands, she looked down at me tiredly.

"Again?" I asked and she nodded, rubbing her stomach.

"Not for anything big, something small..." She trailed off and then beamed, "Like a pop tart or something."

I frowned and sat up on my elbows, "No not Pop Tarts. Those things are bad for you."

She pouted and I rubbed her stomach with one hand, "I'll make you something small, some midnight breakfast, _if_ you lay down and rest."

She nodded and did so next to me. I rubbed my eyes and lay there for a moment before I felt her foot dig into my knee.

"Edward..." Her low voice growled at me in the darkness.

"Alright I'm going I'm going... sheesh." I muttered and got out of bed and walked towards the door.

"One midnight breakfast coming up!"


	29. Dilf

**September 7****th**** 2011**

**Edward POV**

I just blinked at Emmet, who was stood on my doorstep wearing sunglasses.

"Emmet it is _raining_ outside." I said firmly as he pushed past me into my own house.

He rolled his eyes as he took them off, "I know that Eddy kins, I just like wearing them, it makes me look like I'm a spy or something."

I sighed, "I really wish we weren't related."

He smirked at me just as Emma cheered his name and rushed into the room, jumping to hug him. He picked her up and tickled her ribs; she squealed and reached for me.

I held her in a hug before she said she was going to see her mother. I liked this idea very much, as it meant that Emma could keep an eye son Bella while I was not in the room.

"What's in the bag?" I asked as I followed him into our lounge where Bella was sat on the sofa.

The front door opened and I tuned to see who it was, "Emmet you left me parking the car by myself." Rose snapped and hugged Emma before joining us in the room.

She then sat on the other sofa besides her husband while I stood up, watching Emma and Bella who had previously been reading.

"I got you two a present." Emmet declared and through a t-shirt at me and Bella each.

I opened mine and suppressed a scream, I looked at my wife who just looked shocked.

Emmet jumped to kneel beside her mother, "What does it say?"

"Don't..." I started but she was already holding it.

Her eyebrows furrowed together, "Future Milf?"

Emmet's loud roar of a laugh filled the room and Rose glared at him, her face appalled, clearly she had known nothing about this.

Bella took a deep breath and looked at me, "And I assume yours says..."

I ground my teeth together, "Future Dilf yes."

"What's a Milf mummy?" Emma asked and Emmet roared with laughter.

My left eye had a small spasm; I was going to kill him...

"It means a mummy in love forever." Rose said, clearly used to thinking on her feet, well I mean she had to, anyone who had seen who she was married to could understand that.

Emmet frowned, "no it doesn't..."

I threw my t-shirt at him hard, "Yes, it _does_ Emmet."

He caught my expression and nodded, obviously accepting that this prank had gone as far as he could take it before he got physically hurt.

"ouch." Bella muttered and rubbed under her stomach. My head snapped around and I moved to sit on the arm of the chair next to her.

"Are you okay?" I asked anxiously and rubbed her back.

She nodded, "They've just woken up."

I laughed as the doorbell rang. Emma ran to answer it and I looked through the open lounge door to see Alice and Japer walk in.

I stood and walked out of the other door. I hadn't spoken to my sister since when she had told me that she knew about Emma before I did.

And although my relationship with Bella on the subject was back to normal, I wasn't ready to play forgiveness with my sister just yet.

Bella sighed as I walked into the kitchen and put the kettle on. I heard heels on the wooden floor and sighed, bracing myself on the counter.

"Edward?" He tinkling voice met my ears, "Edward I never meant for it to come out like that..."

"It's done." I turned around and said firmly to my sister, "Its happened okay lets just move on."

She swallowed, "I'm sorry I hurt you."

I sighed and nodded, "I know."

She nodded, "Are we okay then, I mean... I'm forgiven right."

She looked at me with wide eyes and I couldn't say no, how could I? She was my baby sister, and I'd looked after her since she was small, I couldn't turn my back on our relationship now.

I smiled, "Yeh, yeh you're forgiven."

She squealed and pulled me into a hug. I rubbed her back and she jumped up and down.

"So what are you getting Bella for her birthday?" She cried.

"Shush..." I whispered and she bit her lip to keep from saying more.

"It's a surprise." I whispered and she pouted.

"Even from me?"

I nodded and laughed, mussing her hair, "_especially_ from you."

She frowned "Why?"

I rolled my eyes, "Because I want it to _remain_ a secret."

**Three Days Later...**

"Seriously Edward." Rosalie said from where she was sat at our kitchen table, holding eh mug as I poured Coffee into it.

"Seriously Edward _what_?" I asked and poured my own coffee and turned away to put the kettle back on its stand.

"Seriously Edward _what_ are you getting Bella for her birthday?" She demanded.

I sighed and leant back against the counter, supporting myself with the hand which wasn't holding my coffee mug, "I don't know."

She raised both eyebrows and swallowed her drink, "You don't know?"

Her tone left the question in such a way that I could only nod in response.

There came the sound of feet on the wooden floor and we both looked as Bella walked in.

She was dressed in a black wrap over dress that came to her knees and black pumps. My mouth almost watered and I had to swallowed coffee to make myself feel more human.

"Right are you ready to go?" She asked Rosalie and my eyes narrowed, up until this point I had come to the conclusion that my wife was just being dropped off at my mothers.

"You're going to work aren't you?" I demanded and she sighed, putting her phone and keys in her bag.

"Yes Edward." She mumbled.

"You told me that you were on maternity leave." I reminded her.

She swallowed her voice still quiet, "I can't leave until they find a suitable temporary replacement." She whispered.

My own voice just got louder, "And who told too this, that _Caius_ dude was it? The one who made you want to leave in the first place?"

My nodded, "Its only for a few weeks."

"A few weeks?" I yelled.

"Edward don't shout." Rose snapped and shut the kitchen door, blocking all sound from where Emma had been waiting in the hall way, amusing herself or watching TV I assumed.

"Bella you are seven months pregnant there are only _eight_ weeks until your due date." I said in a strained voice.

"I won't be working then." She said and pulled her bag on her shoulder.

I scoffed and through my hands up in the air, slamming my cup down on the side, "Fine, whatever."

I stormed past her an out into the all, bending to give Emma a kiss and a hug.

"See you tonight princess." I whispered and put her down.

She beamed and nodded before running off to see her mother.

I sighed and walked sluggishly to the car, knowing that this wouldn't be the first argument we would have on the subject.


	30. No

**September 10****th**** 2011**

**Bella POV**

"Mrs Cullen I have been meaning to talk to you about the coloured boy..." Mike trailed off where he was stood hovering besides me in the staff room as I poured myself my tea.

"Who?" I asked and turned around, blowing on it and keeping eye contact with him as I took a sip.

"The coloured boy." Mike repeated.

I frowned, my hormones playing a part slightly. We only had one coloured child at our school, due to the fact that his mother had divorced a man from the reservation, and she had moved him from that school to this one during the split.  
>"What colour is he <em>blue<em>?" I tried not to snap, "His name is Max."

"Er yeh Max, well erm, his mother has put in an application to be on the board of governors..." He trailed off and my eyes narrowed.

"So?"

"So... I saw that you accepted." He said almost hysterically.

I nodded, "She's coming for an interview with me tomorrow, but apart from that there are no other formalities, she was the best candidate."

Mike answered in an almost shrill laugh, "But she's..." He stopped himself.

My eyebrows went high, "You know I knew you were many things Mike but I didn't think you were racist."

"I'm not." He answered too quickly.

"No?" I asked and raised one eyebrow, before stepping around him to sit beside Rose in one of the chairs, leaving him stood next to the sink blinking.

He took his seat and called the meeting to a start, well his wife did. I rested my cup of tea on the top of the table and glanced down at my open ring binder that was lying in front of me.

As I reached to pick up my pen I felt a twinge in the bottom of my stomach.

I moved my hand quickly to rest on the bottom of it and took a deep breath.

Rose's eyes landed on me and her hand came to rub my shoulders, "Bella what's wrong?"

I opened my mouth to speak but the pain came again, only this time it was worse, much worse.

I gasped and hunched forwards, Mike stopped speaking as I turned slightly to look at Rose.

"Something's wrong..."

**Edward POV**

**(Ten Minutes Later)**

"Dr Cullen?" Sasha, one of the young trainee doctors skidded to a stop beside me where I had been walking back to the nurses' station to fill out some of my paper work.

"Yes?" I asked.

She handed a chart to me, "I'm supposed to do a blood test on this one, but he's only six and he's upset, do I need to get someone to hold him or..."

"Hang on..." I said and delved deep into the pockets of my lab coat. I smiled when I found what I was looking for and handed it to her.

She turned it over in her hands, "Bubbles?"

"yep." I said and handed the chart back to her, "Get him to blow bubbles while you're doing it and he won't even notice, it will relax his arm as well, you just need to get someone to hold the bubbles for him."

She smiled, "Thank you."

I nodded, "You're welcome."

She turned and ran off just as a hand came down on my shoulder. I tuned to see my father.

"Hello what's up?" I asked as he led me to one side.  
>"We've just had an ambulance arrive; they are brining in a seven month pregnant women with severe abdominal cramps..." He trailed off and swallowed, "Its Bella."<p>

"What?" I gasped ad nearly dropped what i was holding.

"She was in a staff meeting and she got pain in her cervix, she's being tested now, Rosalie's with her." He informed me.  
>"well where is she?" I demanded.<p>

"Trauma 1."

I bolted past him and shoved my charts at him as I went. I flew through the door to see Bella sat on the Hospital bed facing the door, her legs swinging slightly as she sat there.

Dr Grenedy was stood beside her, taking her blood pressure. Rosalie was stood checking her phone and then smiled to look up at Bella, "They are going to postpone the meeting until you can come back..."

I cleared my throat and everyone's heads snapped up to look at me.

"Dr Cullen." Dr Grenedy greeted formally.

Bella bit her lip and looked down as I went to stand beside my colleague.

"Braxton Hicks." He told his both, "They are very common, and will probably come irregularly until you are ready for real labour, which will feel very different when the time comes."

"She has _had_ a baby." Rosalie reminded him, I could tell she wasn't keen on this man.

His patronising attitude meant he didn't get one with _many_ of his patients and colleagues alike.

Bella nodded, "Thank you."

He smiled and glanced at me before leaving the room, Rosalie following him.

Bella took a deep breath and looked down at her hands, "I know what you want to say."

I folded my arms and laughed quietly in disbelief, "I doubt it."

"you want me to know that you are mad okay, you want me to admit that you were right, that I _shouldn't_ be at work, but you heard him, he said that Braxton Hicks were common..." her face seemed to harden as she spoke.

"But I don't_ need_ you to tell me what to do Edward. I can look after myself..."

"Really?" I asked in a low voice.

Her eyes snapped up to mine, "Yes Edward, I _can_. I don't need you to tell me how to look after myself or my baby..."

"Our baby." I said flatly, "It's _our_ baby, mine as well."

She swallowed, "I'm not a bad mother Edward."

I sighed, all of the fight going out of me. I moved to sit next to her and put my head in my hands, "I know your not."

"I thought you were going to miss it." She whispered, and I realised that she must have thought she was in labour when she had felt the pains.

I moved my head slightly out of my hands, "I told you I'd be there."

She nodded and looked down at her hands, "We waited long enough before."

I chuckled despite myself at the memory, "yeh."

She smiled slightly, "I should have known you would come to me, you always do."

I sat up and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her into my side as I spoke into her hair, "And I _always_ will."

She rubbed her stomach slightly and I kissed her hair, "no more work."

Bella sighed, "At least allow me to work mornings that is only admin work."

I frowned, "Fine, but allow _me_ to dive you to and from work back to my mother and fathers."

She sighed, "But Edward..."

I raised an eyebrow and she leant back into my side, "Fine."

I kissed her hair, "Good girl."


	31. Chapter 31

**Okay okay I know this chapter is really late, and it also comes with a really APOLOGETIC authors note. I am doing something I never thought I would do on fan fiction.**

**This is for the time being the last chapter of this story, and I have written the chapter I think I most wanted to end on from the start. In the future there may be some more chapters, but as yet I am not sure when that will be.**

**This chapter is extra long to go with my apology!**

**Please let me know in a review if you desperately want me to continue. ! THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR REVIWES THEY MEAN THE WORLD! xx**

Edward POV

My phone started ringing as I drove down the drive towards my house. I picked it up just as I stopped the car without looking at the caller ID.

"hello?" I asked.

"Edward where are you?" Bella whimpered down the phone.

I slammed the car door and rushed up the porch steps, fumbling with my keys, "Just about to come in why?" I demanded and I tried to shove the key in the lock.

"The babies coming." She cried.

I shoved open the front door and threw my phone on the table with my keys. "Bella?" I shouted.

"Upstairs." She groaned and I took the stairs two at a time. I flew into our bedroom to see her on all fours on the floor by our bed, Emma sat beside her, rubbing her back.

My wife's face was already red and her hair was stuck to her head by sweat. Emma looked up at me anxiously.

"Daddy what's happening to mummy?" She asked as I knelt down beside them both, pulling off my Jacket and throwing it on the bed.

"Mummy's having the baby sweetie." I told her and she smiled.

"Really?" She cried.

I nodded just as Bella groaned loudly and threw one arm around my neck, pulling herself to me so she was kneeling up facing me. I rubbed her back as she moaned into my neck, quivering slightly.

"Emma." I said and she looked at me, "I need you to go downstairs and ring Grandma Esme on daddy's phone okay?"

My daughter nodded so I continued my instruction, "I need you to tell her that mummy is having the baby, and that daddy wants her to come quickly okay?"

Emma nodded again and raced off downstairs just as Bella loosened her grip on my slightly.

She whimpered and I set her gently back on the floor so she was kneeling.

I rubbed her shoulder gently, "How long since your water broke love?"

She swallowed, "Ten minutes."

I nodded just as Emma came back in and put my phone on the bed, "Grandma Esme says she's leaving now." I nodded and Bella moaned, bending forwards to fold her arms on the floor, resting her head against them, her bottom in the air.

I stubbed her spine gently, "Can you do something for daddy Emma?"

She nodded and I smiled, "I need you to go in the bathroom, and get every towel you can okay?"

Again she did as I asked and I kissed the top of Bella's head, "Love?"

"What?" Bella whimpered.

"Have you got a contraction?" I demanded.

Bella shook her head, "No."

"I'm going downstairs to get clean water okay I'll be _one_ minute." I told her.

"What for?" She moaned, and I couldn't _believe_ she was asking me this.

"We don't have time to get you to the hospital okay, your having the baby here..." I started but she cut me off hysterically, moving the kneel up again.  
>"What are you crazy?" She shouted, "No... no I'm having my baby in a hospital... where it's safe..." She made to crawl past me and I caught her gently in one arm, pulling her back to wrap her arms around my neck.<p>

"Listen to me okay." I said firmly as she slowed down her tears. "It's all going to be okay you hear me?"

She nodded, "I trust you."

I kissed her temple, "Right then... I'll be _one_ minute."

She nodded and I pulled away to run downstairs, flying into the kitchen and catching the fridge handle to stop myself from ploughing into the wall.

The water from the tap wouldn't fill the bowl fast enough for me and as I grabbed two hand towels on my way up, I was beginning to get impatient with the fact that I couldn't _run_ to my wife while I was holding a bowl of full sterile water.

Eventually I made it back to the room and found Emma sat beside a massive mound of towels. I smiled and set the water down beside Bella's bottom half, with three of the small towels and one large on beside it.

I rubbed Bella's back and looked to Emma once again, "Em can you go and wait downstairs and look out for Grandma Esme."

She nodded and left, Bella sighed slightly, "Thank you."

I frowned as I infolded one of the towels and crouched down by her side, "For what?"

She let me help her move to get on all fours on top of the towel, "I didn't want her to have to watch this."

I chuckled and pulled the bean bag from our closet and put it in front of her. Bella gratefully folded her arms and rested her torso on it, with her legs still in the kneeling position.

I smiled and reached under the night dress she was wearing to remove her underwear.

She glanced at me in the mirror as I washed my hands and knelt up behind her, resting one hand on top of the base of her spine.

She smiled tiredly, "Don't get any ideas Cullen."

I chuckled, "I just need to check your progress, and the position of the baby.

Bella tried to giggle, but she was in too much pain and too tired to, "Sure."

I gently slid my hand between Bella's legs and she whimpered, griping the bean bag tighter and pressing her face in it.

My fingers brushed something hard and I smiled as i pulled them out, "Your nine centimetres, and the babies head well into the birth canal, everything's okay."

She nodded and I reached into my doctor's bag to produce a heart monitor.

Bella frowned, "What have you got that for?"

I smiled, "I was given it in my first residency because they knew you were pregnant with Emma. They said that it would be good to practice on you at home, but I never got around to it."

She nodded and when I went to roll up her shirt knelt up, causing me to frown.

She sighed and took it from me, putting it on the floor, "It will be easier if I just have my bra on."

I smiled and she raised her arms weakly as I pulled her dress over the top of her head.

She then resumed her position on the bean bag, and I ran the small wand along the bottom of her stomach.

At first there was crackling, but then our babies strong heart beat could be heard, and I heard both Bella and myself breathe a long sigh of relief.

Bella moaned and I watched as she dipped backwards slightly toads her bottom, and I knew that she was pushing. I moved to kneel behind her and rubbed on hand along the base of her spine and the other propped my up slightly on the towel.

"Keep going sweetheart." I whispered and she groaned, before gasping and relaxing.

I smiled to myself, "Well done my love."

Bella continued to push a few more times before I started to see the top of the baby's head, the hair was dark, but that really didn't tell me anything. Emma's hair had been dark at birth, but then it had lightened to look like mine.  
>"That's it Bella keep going the baby's crowning." I told her and couldn't help but smile.<p>

Bella swallowed and gasped, "Really?"

I nodded, "yes."

Her contractions came so quickly that both Bella and myself were having a hard time timing them. She pushed when she wanted to, and she pushed well, so well that it was only one minute and a bit before the top of our baby's head was out nearly all the way.

"I can't push anymore." Bella gasped.

I knew that she was finding it hard pushing in the position, so I gently moved around to face her.

She let me lift her arms to hook loosely around my neck as i then, with her helping me, moved her so she was sitting against the bean bag, which I had moved to rest against the side of the bed.

With the towel still under her opening I knelt down in front of her and she placed her feet against my knees, her own knees bent up near her chest.

"Thank god." She whispered and I smiled.

Even though she had been in the position a few seconds, it had opened Bella's pelvis further, and so, as I hoped, she started pushing harder and longer.

my wife's cries and moans were like blows to my ears every time she made a noise.

I hated the sound of her in pain and I hated it _more_ when I knew that there was nothing I could do.

I was doing all I could by helping her deliver the baby, that was all I could do.

A shriek of pain left Bella's lips and she let he head fall back as she pushed.

I cupped my hands around the top of the baby's head as she pushed it out up to his ears. I also held it gently, as I knew Bella wouldn't have the strength to start pushing all over again.

I ran my thumb over the top of its mattered head and Bella looked down, her eyes welling up as she gently put her fingers on the top of its head.

I kissed her knee, "Your doing beautifully love."

She sunk back slightly gasping and rested her hand back on the floor by her hip.

There was a heave under my hands and Bella moaned, scrunching her face up and pushing, I'd never seen her push like that before.

I watched in fascination as our babies head slowly started to immerge, "Come on Bella I see his eyebrows, his ears, his eyes... come on Bella..."

"It might be a girl." She grunted and pushed herself to sit up more, but tears were streaming down her face, "It's not... moving Edward..."

I could tell she was pushing, but Bells birth canal was very narrow, and as such, the bay was having a hard time getting out.

I took a deep breath and remembered what we had always been taught to do when this happened.

I gently released one had from holding the top of the baby's head, and slid the other gently under it, the top of my feigners entering her birth canal.

Bella _screamed_ in pain and I apologies over and over again as she whimpered.

"Push." I instructed and she did, I gently slid on finger either side of the baby's heard and helped ease it upwards, so it was more in line with her opening.

Bella moaned and cried as there was a whoosh ad my hand and the baby's head left her.

"Well done sweetheart that's the worst part over." I laughed and cried at the same time as i watched Bella smile, running the tips of her fingers slightly over our baby's features.

She abruptly set her hand back on the floor, "Okay..." She said and her voice got slightly higher, "_Okay_..."

Bella screamed and groaned and made every noise under the sun as she pushed the shoulders out. She fought hard and I had to slide my hand in to help them out again, as Bella's pelvis was simply too small for her to do it by herself.

But when Bella collapsed back onto the bean bag and the bay fell into my hands and I felt the weight fit, it was easy to see why.

I gently wrapped my screaming child up in a towel and handed him to a sobbing Bella, who hushed them and stroked their foreheads gently as I wrapped towels around her to keep her warm, and laced several along with the bowl of water near her legs for the birth of the placenta, whenever she was ready for that.

That was how my mother and Emma saw us. Esme stopped short in the doorway, but then smiled at us. Bella was holding our baby in her arms where she was leaning against the bean bag and the side of the bed, looking tired and sweaty, but never more beautiful, and wrapped in towels.

I crawled between her legs and kissed her gently, "It's a boy."

She smiled and Emma walked over almost nervously.

I smiled and held my arms out for her, which she accepted gratefully.

She stood by my side as i moved t sit beside her mother, before she moved to sit in my lap. I stroked her hair, "Emma, meet your baby brother."

Emma looked at the red faced baby in her mother's arms and smiled after a moment, "What's he called?"

I looked at Bella who smiled, "Steven." She said, "Steven Edward Cullen."

"I love you." I whispered and leant towards her.

She smiled, "I love you to."

We kissed gently and pulled apart as Steven fussed quietly. Bella laughed and positioned him more comfortably in her arms, "He's hungry aren't you little man."

That was when Esme first spoke from the doorway, "I'll make us some tea, Emma will you help me?"

Emma nodded and ran to help her grandmother, who I mouthed a thank you to which she waved off.

Bella gently handed me my son while she sorted herself out, she removed her bra and put on one of my vests I slept in which was folded on the end of the bed.

She then slid on of the straps down, and I handed Steven back to her. He fed hungrily, and my wife gently stroked his face while he did so.

I sued this time to tidy up most of the bloody towels and put them in a bin liner, before sipping a cloth in the clean water and pressing it gently over Bella's opening.

My wife hissed through her teeth and I apologised, explaining that it would be better to clean her now, than later on. She nodded and told me she felt she wanted to push.

I let her, and soon enough the placenta was out, which after a quick examination, joined the rest of the rubbish in the bin.

"That feels so much better now." Bella whispered as I slipped a pair of pants over her hips.

I chuckled, "Are you sure you dint want to eat or bury it?"

She gagged quietly, "That truly is the grossest thing ever." Her eyes left our sons to look up at me," Thank you."

I rose on eyebrow and leant my face back towards hers, "For what?

She smiled, "For being there for me."

I kissed her gently, "I'll always be here for that."

When my mother retuned with a cup of tea for both of us I gently helped Bella onto the bed. She sat up against all of the pillows on the headboard and I set Steven in her arms. Emma crawled up beside us and there was a knock at the door.

Esme went to answer it and retuned a moment alter with Charlie, who she explained she had called whilst making the tea.

"Congratulations Bells."He said as he kissed the top of my wife's head.

He walked back around to where I was standing watching them with my hands on my hips and clapped me on the shoulders, "Well done son."

I smiled and said thank you just as Emma pointed out, "He looks like daddy."

Bella laughed and stroked her hair, "It seems all our children will."

My eyes went wide, "They'll be more."

She smiled at me, "Of course, I thought you wanted the _Cullen Soccer team_."

Charlie laughed at my expression and patted in between my shoulder blades, "you look like you could use a drink."

I was barely conscious of what I was saying, the joy was being a dad and the relief of my son being safe was all getting to be a little too much, "Okay."

"Dad?" Bella's eyes went from me to her father anxiously, "He looks a little green, take him outside for some fresh air please?"

Charlie nodded and steered me as I stumbled out of the back door onto the porch. I all but feel down the steps and held onto the railing and was violently sick.

I gasped and wiped the back of my hand over my mouth and took deep breaths.

Charlie grunted behind me, "Better out than in."

"sorry." I said and stood up. I felt so foolish, my wife was the one who had just had the freaking baby, and _I_ was the one feeling ill, fantastic.

My father in law put his hand on my shoulder and led me to sit on the steps, he sat beside me, and handed me a beer. We looked out over the setting sun and i smiled to myself.

Steven Edward Cullen, my Son...  
>"In a few years you'll be able to sit out here with your son." Charlie said.<p>

My eyes flashed to his and then away, "You'd have been a great father to a boy."

He smiled to himself, "I got enough practice being a teenager's father with you."

I laughed and he did to as he nudged my shoulder.

He sighed and shook his head, "Renee on the other hand..."

I sighed, "She needs to know about Steven."

He nodded, "I know you wish their relationship was different, believe me I do to, we all do, but Bella has done what she thinks was right, and if that means she is civil to her mother and nothing else. So be it."

I nodded to, "I know."

We went back inside after I started to feel less ill. Esme left and said that we would probably be seeing the re of the family in the morning, she more warned me than anything. Charlie left soon after and said a quiet goodbye to Bella before doing so.

I walked into my bedroom to see a very tired looking Bella holding Steven and an asleep Emma curled up beside her.

I gently scooped Emma up; thankful she was already in her pyjamas and tucked her in bed before kissing her forehead.

I then returned to my wife, and took Steven gently from her after she kissed his forehead.

Thankfully i had previously had the sense to set up is crib in our room sometime before Bella's due date. I lay him in it and wrapped him in a blanket, beaming when he fell asleep.

"I love you my son." I whispered and kissed his forehead.

I then undressed and brushed my teeth and hair, before collapsing into bed besides my wife.

She rested her head on my chest and wrapped one arm over my waist. My hand rubbed her back and the other rubbed her arm which was on my torso.

"We haven't had a day like that in a while." She sighed quietly.

I smiled, "We could be doing it all again in nine months."

She kicked me in the knee, "not bloody likely."

I chuckled and she moved slightly in my arms, "How much did he weigh?"

"Nine pounds five, you did amazing my love." I smiled and she tilted her head back to look up at me.

"Thank you."

I pressed my lips to hers before she snuggled back into my arms.

"I love you so much." I whispered.

Even in the darkness I knew she was smiling as she kissed my chest and relaxed back into my embrace.

"I love you too Edward. More than you will ever know."

I smiled, "You have the remainder of my life time to convince me."

She giggled tiredly, "Knowing you it could take that long."

I chuckled and she tilted her head back to look up at me.

"We'll be okay won't we?"

Even in the darkness my lips managed to find hers.

"You know we will."


End file.
